hype
1 Americanverb (used with object)
-
to stimulate, excite, or agitate (usually followed byup ).
She was hyped up at the thought of owning her own car.
-
to create interest in by flamboyant or dramatic methods; promote or publicize showily.
a promoter who knows how to hype a prizefight.
-
to intensify (advertising, promotion, or publicity) by ingenious or questionable claims, methods, etc. (usually followed byup ).
noun
-
exaggerated publicity; hoopla.
-
an ingenious or questionable claim, method, etc., used in advertising, promotion, or publicity to intensify the effect.
-
a swindle, deception, or trick.
noun
-
Disparaging and Offensive. a person who is addicted to a drug, especially one who uses a hypodermic needle.
noun
-
a deception or racket
-
intensive or exaggerated publicity or sales promotion
media hype
-
the person or thing so publicized
verb
-
to market or promote (a product) using exaggerated or intensive publicity
-
to falsify or rig (something)
-
(in the pop-music business) to buy (copies of a particular record) in such quantity as to increase its ratings in the charts
noun
verb
-
to inject oneself with a drug
-
(tr) to stimulate artificially or excite
Other Word Forms
- hyper noun
- hyping noun
Etymology
Origin of hype1
An Americanism dating back to 1820–30, in sense “to trick, swindle,” of uncertain origin; subsequent senses perhaps by reanalysis as a shortening of hyperbole
Origin of hype2
First recorded in 1920–25; shortening of hypodermic; hypo 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In 2024, Flav signed a five-year deal as the official hype man for the U.S. men’s and women’s water polo teams that included an undisclosed financial contribution to the women’s team.
From Los Angeles Times
Even in this current era of boxing, where hype and profit can outweigh logic, this sits high on the "how did we get here?" list.
From BBC
Its Willow chip helped spark hype at the end of 2024.
From Barron's
Think of it as a pep rally where family members hype the gymnasts.
From Los Angeles Times
In the case of Figma, hype for the design-software company waned on fears that AI will be able to more easily create apps and webpages.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
