as in hype
information released to the media that is designed to gain public attention or support for a person, business, or cause
the newspaper's local stories are often thinly disguised puffery for area businesses
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Recent Examples of puffery
That conclusion may sound preposterously quaint to some, unwelcome advice to a few, ridiculous puffery or an impossible goal to still others.
—
David Baldacci, Peoplemag, 15 Apr. 2024
Most mentions of Florida were mere puffery, with little indication of what DeSantis intends to accomplish.
—Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2024
When the subject is not the movies but matters of the Middle East, the consequences of this sleight of hand are far graver than some dubious promotional puffery.
—Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2024
This column is dedicated to my late father, Dr. Subhash Jain, a dedicated physician, father, grandfather, and husband who always prioritized the real work of delivering great patient care over hype—and always pushed me to look beyond puffery in the development of my own perspectives.
—Sachin H. Jain, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for puffery
David Baldacci, Peoplemag, 15 Apr. 2024
Most mentions of Florida were mere puffery, with little indication of what DeSantis intends to accomplish.
—Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2024
When the subject is not the movies but matters of the Middle East, the consequences of this sleight of hand are far graver than some dubious promotional puffery.
—Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2024
This column is dedicated to my late father, Dr. Subhash Jain, a dedicated physician, father, grandfather, and husband who always prioritized the real work of delivering great patient care over hype—and always pushed me to look beyond puffery in the development of my own perspectives.
—Sachin H. Jain, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for puffery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puffery
Noun
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Despite the lack of snaps, Carter lived up to the hype.—
Justin Grasso,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 July 2025
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For instance, a recent Black Book survey found most AI systems aren’t living up to the hype in healthcare.—
Johnny Hecker,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
Noun
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Although the Dolphins offense gets the publicity, the defense has finished No. 4 and No. 10 in the league, respectively, in the past two years so the standard is high.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
11 July 2025
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The clarification is arguably in line with the House settlement, the longstanding NCAA prohibition against pay-for-play and, more conceptually, the relationship between the right of publicity and NIL.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
11 July 2025
Noun
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Not just any old slope, but one that drops fully 2.5 metres (8ft 2in) from the Grandstand on the north side of the ground across to the Tavern and Mound Stands to the south — the advertising hoardings in the lead image on this article show the gradient perfectly.—
Paul Newman,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
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The advertising veteran led the company through multiple controversies over the past two years and is one of at least 15 senior leaders who’ve stepped down from Musk’s companies in the past year.—
Phil Wahba,
Fortune,
10 July 2025
Noun
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Earlier this year the brand held two-week activations timed with the Rome Open, which included an influencer and press trip to the matches, out-of-home advertisements and a takeover of local ice-cream shops and cafés.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
9 July 2025
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The man’s video is one of many of longform advertisements produced by The Agora and its sprawling conglomerate of subsidiaries, which have spent decades cashing in on Americans’ growing distrust in government, financial institutions and healthcare providers.—
Amy Feldman,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Puffery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puffery. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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