English Reference
adjective · noun

promotional

adj. · n.
US /pɝˈmoʊʃənəɫ/ UK /pɹəmˈəʊʃənəl/ pro·mo·tion·al

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.used for advertising a product, service, or event to make it more popular.

    adj.relating to the publicizing of a product, organization, or venture so as to increase sales or public awareness.

    Simple

    The company is giving away promotional t-shirts to attract new customers.

    In context

    The marketing department launched a multi-channel promotional campaign to ensure the new software reached its target demographic before the holiday season.

    Usage

    Commonly modifies nouns like 'material', 'campaign', 'video', or 'offer'.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced Formal

    adj.relating to a move to a higher or more important job position.

    adj.pertaining to the advancement of an employee to a higher rank or position within a hierarchy.

    Simple

    She is looking for a job with better promotional prospects.

    In context

    The internal audit revealed that promotional opportunities were not being distributed equitably across the various regional branches.

    Usage

    Often appears in the phrase 'promotional prospects' or 'promotional opportunities'.

    advancementcareer related
  3. 03 C2 Proficiency Technical

    n.a specific item or video used to advertise something.

    n.a specific instance or piece of advertising material, such as a video or brochure.

    Simple

    The band released a short promotional to announce their upcoming tour.

    In context

    The agency produced a high-budget promotional for the luxury car brand, focusing on cinematic visuals rather than technical specifications.

    Teacher's tip

    In everyday English, people almost always use the shortened form 'promo' instead of the full word 'promotional' when using it as a noun.

Woolworths has justified the increases because it regarded the previous prices as promotional prices, rather than the “standard shelf price” for each product.

The Guardian· 11 Sept 2026

The supermarket nearly doubled the price of a 420g can of Woolworths “Mexican Style 3 Bean Mix” during the promotional period – from 60c to $1 on 17 June – the data shows.

The Guardian· 10 Sept 2026

From promotion + -al.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated