tout

1 of 2

verb

ˈtau̇t How to pronounce tout (audio)
in sense 1 also
ˈtüt How to pronounce tout (audio)
touted; touting; touts

transitive verb

1
: to make much of : promote, talk up
touted as the summer's blockbuster movie
the college's much touted women's studies program
2
: to solicit, peddle, or persuade importunately
not meant to tout you off the movieRussell Baker
3
: to spy on : watch
4
a
British : to spy out information about (a racing stable, a horse, etc.)
b
: to give a tip or solicit bets on (a racehorse)

intransitive verb

1
: to solicit patronage
2
a
chiefly British : to spy on racehorses in training to gain information for betting
b
: to give a tip or solicit bets on a racehorse

tout

2 of 2

noun

: one who touts: such as
a
: one who solicits patronage
b
chiefly British : one who spies out racing information for betting purposes
c
: one who gives tips or solicits bets on a racehorse

Examples of tout in a Sentence

Verb The company is running advertisements touting the drug's effectiveness. The company's stock is being touted by many financial advisers. People were touting tickets outside the stadium. People were touting outside the stadium.
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.
Verb
Biden in a press release touted his administration’s efforts to combat gun violence but argued that there was more to be done — especially as his presidency enters the final stretch. Steff Danielle Thomas, The Hill, 14 Dec. 2024 At a press conference in Watts earlier this week, city and police leaders touted the latest crime statistics which showed a roughly 50% reduction in gang homicides from this point last year. Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024 Even women who are already leaders are less likely than their male counterparts to tout their leadership skills. Maggie McGrath, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024 Bernstein, for example, which has the lowest price target of the three firms that recently touted Square, still sees Block rising to $120 next year, almost 22% above Wednesday’s close. Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 12 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tout 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English tuten to protrude, peer; probably akin to Old English tōtian to stick out, Norwegian tyte

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1700, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3

Noun

1853, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tout was circa 1700

Dictionary Entries Near tout

Cite this Entry

“Tout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tout. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

tout

verb
ˈtau̇t,
ˈtüt
: to make much of : promote

More from Merriam-Webster on tout

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!