tout

1 of 2

verb

ˈtau̇t How to pronounce tout (audio)
in sense 1 also
ˈtüt How to pronounce tout (audio)
touted; touting; touts

transitive verb

1
: to make much of : promote, talk up
touted as the summer's blockbuster movie
the college's much touted women's studies program
2
: to solicit, peddle, or persuade importunately
not meant to tout you off the movieRussell Baker
3
: to spy on : watch
4
a
British : to spy out information about (a racing stable, a horse, etc.)
b
: to give a tip or solicit bets on (a racehorse)

intransitive verb

1
: to solicit patronage
2
a
chiefly British : to spy on racehorses in training to gain information for betting
b
: to give a tip or solicit bets on a racehorse

tout

2 of 2

noun

: one who touts: such as
a
: one who solicits patronage
b
chiefly British : one who spies out racing information for betting purposes
c
: one who gives tips or solicits bets on a racehorse

Examples of tout in a Sentence

Verb The company is running advertisements touting the drug's effectiveness. The company's stock is being touted by many financial advisers. People were touting tickets outside the stadium. People were touting outside the stadium.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
But evidence for that is lacking, physicians said, and the midlife malaise for which testosterone is being touted as a solution is more likely caused by chronic medical conditions, poor diet or a sedentary lifestyle. Michael Scaturro, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2024 Apple's new MacBook Air comes with their latest M3 chip and is touted as having great performance, faster Wi-Fi and support for two external displays. USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2024 In interviews with Roll Call and The Washington Post, he’s touted TikTok as a way of educating constituents about the ins and outs of the legislative process. Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 15 Mar. 2024 Why did the Burbank Democrat spend a small fortune boosting Garvey’s name recognition and blanketing the airwaves with ads that touted the former first baseman’s conservative credentials? David Daley, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024 There’s a whole new way to get rich on the internet—at least according to a rush of YouTube tutorials touting the money to be made using AI to generate videos for kids. Kate Knibbs, WIRED, 12 Mar. 2024 At the Statehouse, the plant’s owners and others have touted wind, solar, geothermal, nuclear, and even green hydrogen as possible replacements down the line. Troy Aidan Sambajon, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Mar. 2024 Besides enhanced omega-3 absorption, krill oil is touted for its antioxidant content. Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 5 Mar. 2024 But even more fell into homelessness At Monday’s news conference, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who’s expected to sail to reelection on Tuesday, touted the city’s effort to boost shelter space as a model for the new bill. Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English tuten to protrude, peer; probably akin to Old English tōtian to stick out, Norwegian tyte

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1700, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3

Noun

1853, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tout was circa 1700

Dictionary Entries Near tout

Cite this Entry

“Tout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tout. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tout

verb
ˈtau̇t,
ˈtüt
: to make much of : promote

More from Merriam-Webster on tout

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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