# poster

/ˈpoʊstɝ/ (US) · /pˈəʊstɐ/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. wall decoration

noun · CEFR A2

a large printed picture of a famous person or a place that you put on a wall for decoration.

For teachers: a large printed image, often of a celebrity or artistic subject, intended for display on a vertical surface.

- He had a large poster of his favourite band on his bedroom wall.
- The teenager's room was plastered with vintage movie posters, reflecting a sophisticated interest in mid-century cinema.

### 2. advertisement

noun · CEFR A2

a large notice or sign used to advertise an event or a product in a public place.

For teachers: a placard or bill posted in a public place to advertise a product, service, or upcoming event.

- I saw a poster for the local food festival at the bus stop.
- The campaign relied heavily on eye-catching posters displayed in high-traffic underground stations to build brand awareness before the product launch.

### 3. internet user

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

someone who shares a message, photo, or comment on a website or social media.

For teachers: an individual who submits content, such as messages or media, to an online forum, social network, or comment section.

- The original poster asked for advice on how to fix a broken laptop.
- Moderators often have to intervene when a frequent poster violates the community guidelines by sharing inflammatory content.

Usage: Often used in the initialism 'OP' to refer to the 'original poster' of a thread.

### 4. basketball dunk

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · American English

a powerful jump and score in basketball over a player from the other team.

For teachers: a forceful dunk performed over a defending player, often resulting in a visually impressive play.

- The crowd went wild after his incredible poster in the final minute.
- The rookie's aggressive poster over the veteran centre became the most-watched highlight of the season.

Teaching tip: This sense is highly specific to basketball culture and is rarely used in other contexts.

### 5. to cover with signs

verb · CEFR B2

to put many posters up on a wall or in an area.

For teachers: to decorate or cover a surface or area with posters.

- They decided to poster the entire neighbourhood to find their lost cat.
- Activists spent the night postering the city centre with slogans demanding immediate environmental reform.

Usage: This verb is transitive and requires a direct object representing the surface or area being covered.

## Examples

- The original poster deleted their comment after the argument started.
- Moderators often ban any poster who repeatedly breaks the community guidelines by sharing spam or offensive links.
- While the physical poster remains a staple of street-level marketing, the digital poster now wields more influence by curating niche communities through frequent and targeted updates.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.