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Meaning & use

hype

noun, verb, adjective·Everydayinformal

Last updated

UK/haɪp/
US/haɪp/

Meanings

  1. noununcountableinformaldisapproving

    Loud and exaggerated promotion that makes people expect more from something than it delivers.

    Grammar: Not used with a: all the hype, not a hype.

    Patterns

    • hype about something
    • hype around something

    The game did not live up to the hype.

    There was a lot of hype around the new phone.

    Ignore the hype and read the reviews.

  2. verbtransitiveinformal

    To promote something with exaggerated claims, or to build up excitement around it.

    Grammar: Takes an object: hype a product; often with up.

    Patterns

    • hype something up
    • hype someone

    Social media hyped the film for months.

    The brand hyped up its new shoe.

    Don't hype the show so much.

  3. adjectivecomparableslang

    Very excited or enthusiastic, especially about an event, in slang use.

    Grammar: Used in youth slang: I'm hype for the concert.

    Patterns

    • hype about something

    I'm so hype for the finals.

    The crowd got hype when the band came on.

    She was hype about the trip.

Word forms

third person singularhypes
past tensehyped
past participlehyped
-ing formhyping

Common combinations

live up to the hype
The restaurant lived up to the hype.
media hype
Media hype surrounded the trial.
hype something up
They hyped the launch up for weeks.
all the hype
I do not understand all the hype.
believe the hype
Do not believe the hype.

Synonyms and how they differ

publicity
Publicity is neutral and just means public attention, while hype suggests exaggeration.
buzz
Buzz is excited talk, often genuine and positive, without the suspicion in hype.
puffery
Puffery is a formal word for exaggerated praise in advertising.
promotion
Promotion is the plain business term for advertising, with no implied exaggeration.

Opposites

understatement

Word family

hyped adjective
promoted or excited about to a great degree
hyping noun
the act of exaggerating promotion
hyperbole noun
deliberate exaggeration, a related word of different origin

Commonly confused: hype or hip?

hype vs hip

Hip means fashionable, while hype is excessive promotion.

Practice

The movie did not ______ the hype, and many viewers felt disappointed.

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