touting: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal, slightly negative.
Quick answer
What does “touting” mean?
Actively promoting, advertising, or praising something persistently and often aggressively to get people to buy, use, or support it.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Actively promoting, advertising, or praising something persistently and often aggressively to get people to buy, use, or support it.
Soliciting business, votes, or support in an insistent, public, and often annoying manner. In British contexts, it can also refer to selling tickets, goods, or services (like tours) in an unauthorized or aggressive way, especially in public places.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'touting' is strongly associated with the unauthorized resale of tickets (a 'ticket tout') or aggressively selling services (like tours) in tourist areas. In American English, 'touting' is used more generally for aggressive promotion of ideas, candidates, or products, with 'scalping' being the more common term for unauthorized ticket resale.
Connotations
UK: Often illegal/unethical commercial activity (e.g., ticket touting). US: More about exaggerated or persistent promotion, not necessarily illegal.
Frequency
The word is more frequent in UK English, particularly in news/media contexts relating to ticket sales scandals or tourist scams.
Grammar
How to Use “touting” in a Sentence
Sb is touting sth (He's touting a new app)Sb is touting for sth (She's touting for custom)Sb is touting sth as sth (They touted it as a miracle cure)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “touting” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Fans are furious about agencies touting tickets at five times the face value.
- You'll see men touting boat tours all along the waterfront.
American English
- The senator has been touting her new policy plan on every news channel.
- He's always touting the latest investment scheme to his friends.
adverb
British English
- He worked toutingly through the crowd, offering fake watches. (Very rare/unnatural)
American English
- She spoke toutingly of the product's features. (Very rare/unnatural)
adjective
British English
- The touting trade outside the concert hall was brisk.
- New laws aim to tackle touting websites.
American English
- His touting efforts finally landed him a major client.
- The article criticised the candidate's touting style.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The sales team has been touting the new software package to every potential client.
Academic
The study has been widely touted as a breakthrough, though some scholars remain sceptical.
Everyday
I wish he'd stop touting his latest diet plan at every family gathering.
Technical
Legislation was introduced to curb illegal ticket touting outside the stadium.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “touting”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “touting”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “touting”
- Using 'touting' as a direct synonym for neutral 'selling' (e.g., 'He's touting his car' sounds odd unless it's aggressive).
- Confusing 'touting' (promoting) with 'tooting' (making a sound, as in 'tooting one's own horn').
- Spelling: 'touting' not 'touoting'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not always, but it is overwhelmingly used in contexts where the promotion is seen as excessive, aggressive, or dubious. Neutral use is possible but less common.
In the UK, it's strongly linked to the unauthorized resale of tickets (scalping) or aggressive street sales. In the US, it's a more general term for persistent promotion, with 'scalping' used for ticket resales.
Yes, e.g., 'He's always touting his own achievements.' It carries the same slight negative tone of being overly boastful or persistent.
It is primarily the present participle/gerund form of the verb 'to tout'. It can also function as a verbal noun or, very rarely, an adjective (e.g., 'touting agencies').
Actively promoting, advertising, or praising something persistently and often aggressively to get people to buy, use, or support it.
Touting is usually informal, slightly negative. in register.
Touting: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtaʊtɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtaʊtɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Touting for business”
- “Touting your own horn (rare, blend with 'tooting one's own horn')”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a TOUT standing OUT loudly, trying to get your attention to sell you something.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROMOTION IS NOISE/INTRUSION (loud, persistent, often unwanted).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'touting' MOST likely to be used in British English?