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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Example Sentences
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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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Most celebrity weed brands don’t live up to the hype.—
Will Yakowicz,
Forbes,
16 Feb. 2025
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Dustin Wolf, age 23, is living up to the hype in his rookie season in Calgary.—
Jesse Granger,
The Athletic,
15 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Meanwhile, there have been many articles and books commemorating the milestone; one of the latter made headlines Friday for a publicity gaffe involving Tina Fey and Jon Hamm.—
Judy Berman,
TIME,
17 Feb. 2025
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One possible reason Trump's arrest rate isn't matching Biden's: The publicity surrounding the new president's tough talk on immigration has fueled a dramatic dip in the number of people trying to enter the U.S. illegally on the southern border.—
Axios,
Axios,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
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In 1991, the FCC restored some time limits on advertising during children's programming, but toy companies and their products had become so intertwined with shows by then that the new regulations didn't make much of a difference.—
Alana Semuels,
TIME,
14 Feb. 2025
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Explore great travel deals Smithsonian magazine participates in affiliate link advertising programs.—
Michelle Tchea,
Smithsonian Magazine,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
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West flipped the website after the advertisement aired and replaced its previous content with just one item: The swastika T-shirt that was on sale for $20 each.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
11 Feb. 2025
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The multi-hyphenate, 44, showcased her comedy skills for a hilarious new SKIMS advertisement released on Tuesday, Feb. 11.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
People.com,
11 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near puffery
Cite this Entry
“Puffery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puffery. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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