advertisement

noun

ad·​ver·​tise·​ment ˌad-vər-ˈtīz-mənt How to pronounce advertisement (audio)
əd-ˈvər-təz-mənt,
-tə-smənt How to pronounce advertisement (audio)
plural advertisements
1
: a public notice
especially : a paid notice that is published or broadcast (as to attract customers or to provide information of public interest)
an advertisement for a new car/movie/business
advertisements for job openings
radio/television/online advertisements
took out a full-page advertisement
2
: the act or process of advertising something
Rules could also be introduced pertaining to the advertisement of unhealthy food …Brooke Rolfe
3
: something resembling an advertisement (as in alerting someone to something)
Many people in the UK like to put their Christmas tree up in their front window and pile gifts up beneath it. This might look good to your neighbours, but it's just an advertisement for a thief to nick your loot!Kate Whitfield
especially : a person or thing that shows how good or effective something is
The 25-year-old from Cameroon has become a[n] … advertisement for perseverance. Lethbridge News Now (online)
A CV [=curriculum vitae] is the chance to impress employers, and it is an advertisement for skills and experience. Laura Davies and Lucinda Reid

Examples of advertisement in a Sentence

The advertisement will appear in three magazines. He learned about the job from an advertisement in the newspaper. The company has spent a lot of money on advertisement.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
By using the tag, businesses and other organizations can later target advertisements on LinkedIn to consumers that have already shown interest in their products or services. Calmatters, Mercury News, 28 Apr. 2025 That meant, officially at least, no advertisements, gifts or cuts of merchandise sold by schools, even jerseys with their name on the back. Cornell Watson, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025 This growth is likely to contribute to expanding the platform business, which markets digital video subscriptions and advertisements on Roku devices. Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025 The whole thing so much resembled an advertisement that Noem was sued by a consumer advocacy group, although the case was later dismissed. Constance Grady, Vox, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for advertisement

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French avertisement, advertissement, from avertiss-, advertiss-, stem of avertir, advertir "to notify, (reflexive) recognize, be mindful of" + -ment -ment — more at advert entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of advertisement was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Advertisement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/advertisement. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

advertisement

noun
ad·​ver·​tise·​ment ˌad-vər-ˈtīz-mənt How to pronounce advertisement (audio) əd-ˈvərt-əz- How to pronounce advertisement (audio)
1
: the act or process of advertising
2
: a public notice
especially : one published or broadcast

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