puffery

noun

puff·​ery ˈpə-f(ə-)rē How to pronounce puffery (audio)
: exaggerated commendation especially for promotional purposes : hype

Examples of puffery in a Sentence

the newspaper's local stories are often thinly disguised puffery for area businesses
Recent Examples on the Web The defense also has claimed that prosecutors are casting commonplace entrepreneurial puffery as a crime and singling out Watson, a Black founder in a tech world where African American executives have been disproportionately few. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 13 June 2024 But overall, there should be a substantial amount of sizzle — or at least copious amounts of hot air and puffery — coming from next week’s upfront presentations. Josef Adalian, Vulture, 10 May 2024 This is where the focused music hall puffery of the production helps. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 22 Apr. 2024 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 At worst, Cohen argued, the emoji was immaterial puffery. Rob Wile, NBC News, 31 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'puffery.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1731, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of puffery was in 1731

Dictionary Entries Near puffery

Cite this Entry

“Puffery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puffery. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.

Legal Definition

puffery

noun
puff·​ery ˈpə-fə-rē How to pronounce puffery (audio)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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