Word
promotional
Phoneticspro·mo·tion·al, stress on the second syllable
US/pɝˈmoʊʃənəɫ/
UK/pɹəmˈəʊʃənəl/
Definitions
01advertising and marketing
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.
“The company is giving away promotional t-shirts to attract new customers.”
“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'.
Synonyms
02career advancement
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.
“She is looking for a job with better promotional prospects.”
“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'.
Synonyms
03an advertisement
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun 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.
“The band released a short promotional to announce their upcoming tour.”
“The agency produced a high-budget promotional for the luxury car brand, focusing on cinematic visuals rather than technical specifications.”
Teaching tip
In everyday English, people almost always use the shortened form 'promo' instead of the full word 'promotional' when using it as a noun.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Woolworths has justified the increases because it regarded the previous prices as promotional prices, rather than the “standard shelf price” for each product.” “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.” “Promotional material for Apocalypse bills it as “a bold and ambitious social experiment”.” “She had to post a promotional message on her social media and send a link to three group chats, and she earned commission on any ticket bought via her link.” Etymology
From promotion + -al.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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