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Ballyhoo: meaning, definitions and examples

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ballyhoo

 

[ หˆbรฆl.i.huห ]

Noun / Verb
Context #1 | Noun

exaggerated publicity

Ballyhoo refers to extravagant publicity, noise, or sensationalism surrounding an event, person, or product. It often implies a level of overstatement or hype that may not be warranted by the actual significance or quality.

Synonyms

bluster, exaggeration, fanfare, hype

Examples of usage

  • The festival was filled with ballyhoo to attract tourists.
  • Critics claimed the movie's success was built on ballyhoo rather than quality storytelling.
  • The election campaign was characterized by ballyhoo and aggressive marketing.
Context #2 | Verb

to promote loudly

To ballyhoo means to promote or announce something in a noisy, exaggerated manner. It suggests a method of drawing attention through loud or flamboyant advertising.

Synonyms

advertise, hype, promote, publicize

Examples of usage

  • They ballyhooed the new product launch with flashy ads.
  • The event was ballyhooed on social media channels.
  • He ballyhooed his success to gain more followers.

Translations

Translations of the word "ballyhoo" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น agitaรงรฃo

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เค‰เคคเฅเคคเฅ‡เคœเคจเคพ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Aufregung

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ kegembiraan

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะณะฐะปะฐั

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ haล‚as

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ้จ’ใŽ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท tapage

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ bulla

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท gรผrรผltรผ

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์†Œ์Œ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุถูˆุถุงุก

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ hluk

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ hluk

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅ–ง้—น

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ hrup

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ hรกva

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ัˆัƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒฎแƒ›แƒแƒฃแƒ แƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ sษ™s-kรผy

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ alboroto

Etymology

The term 'ballyhoo' is believed to have originated in the early 20th century, with roots in the American carnival culture. It is often attributed to the practices of circus barkers who used extravagant speech and hype to draw crowds to their shows. The word may derive from a combination of 'bally' (which is thought to refer to something trivial or nonsensical) and 'hoo' (an expressive exclamation). The connotation of the term has evolved to represent not just the carnival atmosphere but also the ways in which media and marketing can amplify the allure of products, events, or personalities, often focusing more on the spectacle than the substance. Over time, it has permeated everyday language, often carrying a slightly negative implication of insincerity in the promotion of certain ideas or events.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #35,968, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.