hype

¹

[hahyp]

verb (used with object)

hyped, hyping 

1. to stimulate, excite, or agitate (usually followed byup ).

   She was hyped up at the thought of owning her own car.

2. to create interest in by flamboyant or dramatic methods; promote or publicize showily.

   a promoter who knows how to hype a prizefight.

3. to intensify (advertising, promotion, or publicity) by ingenious or questionable claims, methods, etc. (usually followed byup ).

4. to trick; gull.

noun

1. exaggerated publicity; hoopla.

2. an ingenious or questionable claim, method, etc., used in advertising, promotion, or publicity to intensify the effect.

3. a swindle, deception, or trick.

hype

²

[hahyp]

noun

Slang.

1. a hypodermic needle.

2. Disparaging and Offensive.,  a person who is addicted to a drug, especially one who uses a hypodermic needle.

hype

¹

/ haɪp /

noun

1. a deception or racket

2. intensive or exaggerated publicity or sales promotion

   media hype

3. the person or thing so publicized

verb

1. to market or promote (a product) using exaggerated or intensive publicity

2. to falsify or rig (something)

3. (in the pop-music business) to buy (copies of a particular record) in such quantity as to increase its ratings in the charts

hype

²

/ haɪp /

noun

1. a hypodermic needle or injection

verb

1. to inject oneself with a drug

2. (tr) to stimulate artificially or excite

Other Word Forms

• hyper noun
• hyping noun

Word History and Origins

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of hype¹

C20: of unknown origin

Origin of hype²

C20: shortened from _hypodermic

Example Sentences

Keeping an eye on the company’s top- and bottom-line numbers, as well as metrics like operating cash flow, can help investors differentiate the hype from reality.

Read more on MarketWatch

Here’s a primer on how Sasaki found his hype track, and how it’s become the breakout hit of L.A. this fall.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Just remember, hope isn’t a strategy—and can quickly turn to despair if results fail to live up to the hype.

Read more on Barron's

See also: Can AMD’s stock live up to the hype?

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Many companies believed the initial hype and tried using LLMs to boost productivity and profits.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• advertise 
• announce 
• boost 
• broadcast 
• pitch 
• promote 
• promulgate 
• tout 
• trumpet