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to ballyhoo

to ballyhoo

1 9.5
To promote something loudly and with exaggeration to get attention
  • verb
  • /ˈbæliˌhu/
  • Literature
translation icon : publicitar
  • During the festival, the performers will ballyhoo their shows to attract more audience.

Examples

  • The marketing team plans to ballyhoo the new product launch with an elaborate advertising campaign.

  • The politician started to ballyhoo his environmental initiatives to gain support from the community.

  • I'll ballyhoo greetings to you

  • After projects were concluded, the groups would ballyhoo their accomplishments throughout the firm with attractive, illustrated two-page reports.

    Academic text (1993)
  • It's kind of logically inconsistent to ballyhoo something for offering features that you easily get via third-party apps, such as social networking and a web browser, then come back and claim, as a plus, that you can get a "start" menu via third-party apps.

    Blog text (27)

Synonyms

to rave
vsto ballyhoo
68 4.6

Speak about something in a very excited, positive way

is like this but adds louder, attention-seeking exaggeration to promotion
to tout
vsto ballyhoo
65 6.1

To praise or advertise something strongly to make people want it

is alike but stronger on noisy spectacle and exaggeration
to hype
vsto ballyhoo
53 4.4

To promote something with exaggerated, flashy advertising to get attention

is similarly loud but more noisy and showy when seeking attention
to drum up
vsto ballyhoo
26 4.1

To try to get more interest or support by telling people about something

is alike but uses louder, showy tactics rather than quiet persuasion
to gush
vsto ballyhoo
26 5.6

To praise a person or thing too much, often with strong feeling

is similar but focuses more on noisy public show than emotion
to talk up
vsto ballyhoo
13 4.1

To say that something is better or more important than it really is

is comparable but louder and more focused on attracting attention
to puff
vsto ballyhoo
  • Literature
7 7.4

To praise something too much to make people want to buy it

is like this but often noisier and aimed purely at attracting attention
to oversell
vsto ballyhoo
7 4.9

Make something seem better than it really is

is similar but uses louder, showy publicity to draw attention
to sing the praises
vsto ballyhoo
6 4.1

Say strong good things about someone or something in public

is similar but more concerned with noisy spectacle and exaggeration
to overhype
vsto ballyhoo
4 5.8

Praise something more than it really deserves

is alike but stresses noisy, attention-seeking display as well
to gush about
vsto ballyhoo
4 6.1

Talk in a very excited way to praise someone or something

is alike but tends to be louder and more exaggerating for attention
to beat the drum
vsto ballyhoo
2 5.5

To speak or act strongly to support a cause

is similar but more about noisy promotion and exaggerated praise
to puff up
vsto ballyhoo
1 6.4

To praise someone too much to make them seem better

is similar but more about loud spectacle than mere inflation
to trump
vsto ballyhoo
1 7.0

Announce something loudly to get attention

is similar but focuses more on noisy, attention-grabbing exaggeration
to blazon
vsto ballyhoo
1 7.7

To show something in a way that many people notice it

is comparable but adds more noisy praise and overstatement
to vaunt
vsto ballyhoo
  • Archaic
1 8.9

To talk proudly about your achievements to show off

is similar but uses louder public spectacle rather than mere boasting
to blazon out
vsto ballyhoo
9.3

To tell many people about something in a showy way

is much the same but with louder, more exaggerated style
to spruik
vsto ballyhoo
  • Australian
9.9

To loudly promote things in public to attract attention

is similar but often louder and more exaggerated in presentation

Antonyms

59 5.3

Show something as less important or serious than it is

18 5.2

To make something seem smaller or less important than it really is

Compounds

ballyhoo artist
  • Literature
9.6

A person who uses flashy tricks to get public attention for a show or product

How Publicized

to sensationalize
  • Literature
12 6.8
to hype
53 4.4
to ballyhoo
  • Literature
1 9.5
to promote
252 3.5
to publicize
94 4.0
to mention
1.0

Surface Forms

ballyhoo infinitive
ballyhooed past
ballyhooed past participle
ballyhooing present participle
ballyhoos third person singular

Etymology

Ballyhoo likely began as a loud showman's cry at American fairs and circuses, a shouted call to 'attract a crowd'. So to ballyhoo something is to loudly promote it, often with exaggeration.