ENGLISH
REFERENCE

promotional

adj. · n.
US //pɝˈmoʊʃənəɫ// UK //pɹəmˈəʊʃənəl// pro·mo·tion·al
  1. 1 advertising and marketing (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

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

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

    Example

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

    Example

    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. 2 career advancement (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

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

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

    Example

    She is looking for a job with better promotional prospects.

    Example

    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'.
Show 1 more senseShow fewer
  1. 3 an advertisement (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical

    a specific item or video used to advertise something.

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

    Example

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

    Example

    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.
Origin

From promotion + -al.

© 2026 English Reference