ballyhoo

American  

[bal-ee-hoo, bal-ee-hoo, bal-ee-hoo] / ˈbæl iˌhu, ˈbæl iˌhu, ˌbæl iˈhu /

noun

plural

ballyhoos

1. a clamorous and vigorous attempt to win customers or advance any cause; blatant advertising or publicity.

   Synonyms:

   hype, fanfare, hoopla, buildup

2. clamor or outcry.

3. a halfbeak, Hemiramphus brasiliensis, inhabiting both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

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verb (used with or without object)

ballyhooed, ballyhooing

1. to advertise or push by ballyhoo.

ballyhoo British  

/ ˌbælɪˈhuː /

noun

1. a noisy, confused, or nonsensical situation or uproar

2. sensational or blatant advertising or publicity

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verb

1. (tr) to advertise or publicize by sensational or blatant methods

Etymology

Origin of ballyhoo

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40; of uncertain origin

Explanation

The word ballyhoo is both a noun and a verb that refers to making a big, noisy fuss about something. Promoters might ballyhoo a new store opening by plastering the airwaves with ads and throwing a big parade on opening day. Ballyhoo is all about being loud and flashy, creating an attention-grabbing spectacle. The term originated in early 20th-century slang to describe the loud carnival barkers yelling out exaggerated pronouncements when trying to drum up a crowd for a sideshow or attraction. Over time, it came to mean any hype or commotion to promote something. Using the word as a noun, you could say, "Despite all the ballyhoo, the movie was a box office flop." As a verb, you might say, "The bookstore ballyhooed the arrival of the last book in the popular series."

Example Sentences

While Texas and Florida officials ballyhoo their border tightening efforts, no major immigration legislation has emerged this year in Arizona, where some of the nation’s toughest laws targeting immigrants have been devised.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 17, 2023

This L.A. was the self-invented mirage city of unflagging ballyhoo.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2023

“That was one of the places that my father used to stand outside in his outfit to ballyhoo all these movies,” she recalled.

From New York Times • Mar. 4, 2022

That might be one reason why the fanfare surrounding Firth’s larger-than-life Hyde Park statue paled in comparison to the ballyhoo surrounding Goldblum’s.

From Washington Post • Apr. 27, 2021

The other was busy going through the motions in heavily accented Spanish broadly emphasizing common words that lead to nods and ballyhoo, those expected currencies of behavior.

From The Land of Look Behind by Brown, Paul Cameron