drawing card
C1Informal, Journalism, Business
Definition
Meaning
A person, event, or feature that attracts a large audience or customers; a major attraction.
Something that serves as a primary incentive or reason for people to attend an event, visit a place, or support a cause.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used in North American English. Functions as a countable noun. Often used in contexts of entertainment, sports, politics, and marketing to denote the key element that ensures public interest.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term 'drawing card' is predominantly American. In British English, equivalent terms like 'big draw', 'main attraction', or 'crowd-puller' are more common.
Connotations
In AmE, it has a slightly commercial or promotional connotation. In BrE, alternatives can sound more neutral or descriptive.
Frequency
High frequency in American media and business discourse; low to negligible frequency in contemporary British English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Event/Place]'s drawing card is/was [Person/Feature][Person/Feature] proved a major drawing card for [Event/Place]The main drawing card for [Event] was...Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The ace in the hole (related in function)”
- “The main event”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in marketing to describe a product feature or promotion expected to drive sales. 'Free shipping was the main drawing card for the online store.'
Academic
Rare. May appear in sociological or media studies analyses of popular culture.
Everyday
Used when discussing events, concerts, or tourist destinations. 'The new roller coaster is the park's biggest drawing card.'
Technical
Not used in technical contexts.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The famous singer was the drawing card for the festival.
- The free food was a big drawing card for the student event.
- While the entire conference had great speakers, the former president was the undisputed drawing card.
- The museum's new dinosaur exhibit has become its primary drawing card, boosting visitor numbers by 40%.
- The candidate's stance on economic reform proved a potent drawing card for undecided voters in the industrial heartland.
- Analysts noted that the film franchise's nostalgic appeal, rather than its stars, was its true drawing card.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a magician drawing (pulling) a playing card from a deck, and a crowd gathers to see it. The card is what 'draws' the crowd.
Conceptual Metaphor
ATTRACTION IS A MAGNETIC FORCE / COMMERCIAL SUCCESS IS A GAME (of cards).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid literal translation as 'рисующая карта' or 'карта для рисования'.
- Do not confuse with 'drawing' as in art. Think 'что привлекает (draws) людей'.
- Equivalent Russian concepts: 'главная приманка', 'основная привлекательность', 'козырь'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'It drawings card many people').
- Confusing it with 'drawing' in the artistic sense.
- Using it in formal British English where it sounds unnatural.
Practice
Quiz
In which variety of English is 'drawing card' MOST commonly used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is considered informal and is most common in journalism, advertising, and casual speech.
Yes, it can refer to any key attraction, including a person, an event, a feature, or an object (e.g., a new exhibit, a waterfall).
'Big draw', 'main attraction', or 'crowd-puller' are natural equivalents in British English.
It is a compound noun. 'Drawing' here is a gerund acting adjectivally, not a verb.
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