hollywood: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal to neutral in cultural, business, and journalistic contexts.
Quick answer
What does “hollywood” mean?
A district in Los Angeles, California, famous as the historical centre of the US film and entertainment industry.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A district in Los Angeles, California, famous as the historical centre of the US film and entertainment industry.
Metonymically, the entire American film and television industry, or its glamorous and superficial lifestyle, values, and culture.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the US, it is used more frequently as a literal place name and as a shorthand for the domestic industry. In the UK/other English-speaking countries, it is often used more abstractly to refer to the dominant global film culture emanating from the US.
Connotations
Both share connotations of glamour, fame, and cinema. Pejorative connotations of superficiality, commercialism, and excess are common in both varieties.
Frequency
Higher frequency in American English due to geographic and cultural proximity.
Grammar
How to Use “hollywood” in a Sentence
[Adj] + Hollywood (e.g., 'classic Hollywood')Hollywood + [Noun] (e.g., 'Hollywood film')[Verb] + Hollywood (e.g., 'to criticise Hollywood')Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hollywood” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The script was heavily Hollywooded for the international market.
- They accused the director of Hollywoodising the classic novel.
American English
- The studio wants to Hollywood the true story, adding a romance subplot.
- The adaptation was Hollywoodized beyond recognition.
adverb
British English
- The film ended Hollywoodly, with the couple reunited and triumphant.
- It was staged quite Hollywoodly, with dramatic lighting and music.
American English
- Everything was done Hollywood-style, with extravagant sets and costumes.
- They live Hollywood-big, with multiple cars and a huge mansion.
adjective
British English
- It was a very Hollywood spectacle, all fireworks and sentiment.
- She had a Hollywood smile, perfectly white and gleaming.
American English
- The party had a real Hollywood vibe, with paparazzi and a red carpet.
- That's a classic Hollywood story—small-town kid makes it big.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to the economic and industrial aspects of the major studio system (e.g., 'Hollywood accounting', 'a Hollywood merger').
Academic
Used in film studies, media studies, and cultural criticism to analyse the 'Hollywood model', narrative conventions, or cultural hegemony.
Everyday
Commonly used to talk about movies, celebrities, fame, or excessive glamour (e.g., 'It was like something from Hollywood').
Technical
In film/AV industries, refers to specific technical standards (e.g., 'Hollywood splice'), or the mainstream studio production system.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hollywood”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hollywood”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hollywood”
- Using lowercase ('hollywood').
- Using it as a generic term for any national film industry (e.g., 'Bollywood is the Indian Hollywood').
- Misspelling as 'Holywood'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is a proper noun (a place name) and should always be capitalised, even when used metaphorically.
Yes, informally. 'To Hollywood' or 'to Hollywoodize' means to adapt something (often a true story) to conform to the conventions of mainstream commercial cinema, typically by making it more sensational, romantic, or simplistic.
Hollywood refers to the American film industry. Bollywood is the informal term for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai, India. The name is a portmanteau of 'Bombay' (the former name of Mumbai) and 'Hollywood'.
Yes, it is very common. When used pejoratively, it implies something is commercially driven, lacking in artistic integrity, superficial, overly sentimental, or clichéd (e.g., 'a Hollywood version of history').
A district in Los Angeles, California, famous as the historical centre of the US film and entertainment industry.
Hollywood is usually informal to neutral in cultural, business, and journalistic contexts. in register.
Hollywood: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhɒl.i.wʊd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhɑː.li.wʊd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to have a Hollywood ending”
- “more drama than a Hollywood movie”
- “straight out of Hollywood”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the HOLLYwood sign on the hill, where HOLLY stands for the 'hollow' or superficial promises of fame, and WOOD references the early film sets built from wood.
Conceptual Metaphor
HOLLYWOOD IS A DREAM FACTORY (producing fantasies); HOLLYWOOD IS A MACHINE (an industrial system for making entertainment).
Practice
Quiz
In a business context, what might 'Hollywood accounting' refer to?