# hype

/ˈhaɪp/ (US) · /hˈaɪp/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hype
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. exaggerated promotion

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a lot of excitement or praise for something, often more than it deserves.

For teachers: intensive or exaggerated publicity or promotion, often intended to create a sense of urgency or importance around a product or event.

- The new movie didn't really live up to all the hype.
- Despite the massive marketing hype surrounding the product launch, initial sales figures were surprisingly modest.

Usage: Often used with the verb 'live up to'.

### 2. to promote heavily

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to talk about something a lot to make people excited about it.

For teachers: to promote or publicise a product or idea intensively, often using exaggerated claims.

- The company is trying to hype their new app before it even comes out.
- The media began to hype the upcoming match weeks in advance, framing it as the greatest sporting event of the decade.

Usage: Often used as the phrasal verb 'hype up'.

### 3. excited

adjective · CEFR C1 · Slang

feeling very excited or energetic about something.

For teachers: experiencing a state of high excitement or anticipation.

- The crowd was so hype when the band finally walked onto the stage.
- The players were incredibly hype in the locker room, fueled by the prospect of winning their first championship title.

Teaching tip: In formal writing, use 'excited' or 'enthusiastic' instead of this slang adjective form.

## Examples

- The new movie didn't live up to the hype.
- Despite all the media hype surrounding the product launch, sales were surprisingly low during the first week.
- Marketing executives often struggle to balance genuine consumer engagement with artificial hype, as modern audiences are increasingly cynical toward aggressive promotional campaigns.

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