😏 A teaser 🎬 A short preview

tantalizer

7.7

A short preview that shows a little of a product to make people want it

noun
/ˈtæn.tə.laɪ.zər/

Jargon

: teaser

Marketing used the early screenshots as a clever tantalizer to build excitement before the announcement.

Examples

Festival organizers posted a musical tantalizer online and tickets sold out within hours.
The new movie trailer is an exciting tantalizer for fans.
The studio released a short tantalizer that hinted at the game's darker themes.
Check out this tantalizer!
The studio released a short tantalizer that hinted at the game's darker themes.
Festival organizers posted a musical tantalizer online and tickets sold out within hours.
The new movie trailer is an exciting tantalizer for fans.

Synonyms

preview

vstantalizer

183 2.9

A short showing of a film or play before it opens

aims to provoke desire rather than just show content early

trailer

vstantalizer

100 3.2

A short film showing scenes to advertise a new movie

focuses on teasing curiosity rather than summarizing story scenes

promo

vstantalizer

Informal

51 4.1

Short advertisement for a product or event

is a short item aimed at arousing curiosity rather than broad promotion

teaser

vstantalizer

Literature

18 4.1

A short clip that makes people curious about a show

aims to arouse desire rather than only grab attention

presell

vstantalizer

Jargon

6.1

Promotional material or action that builds interest before a product is released

focuses more on arousing curiosity than direct persuasion

How Tempting

tantalizer

Jargon

7.7

trailer

100 3.2

to preview

34 3.1

mention

220 2.5

Surface Forms

tantalizer singular

tantalizers plural

Morphology

tantalizer = tantalize (transparent) = tantalize + er

A promotional item that 'tantalizes' an audience is named as such by adding the agentive/nominal '-er' to the verb, so the derivation is clear.

Etymology

Tantalizer comes from the name of Tantalus, whose food and drink stayed just out of reach, and it shares the root with tantalize. So a promotional Tantalizer is like a short 'teaser' or preview that shows a little to make people curious but keeps the main thing hidden.