flack

View more Literature & Language videos

n. an advertising agency.  Ted works for a flackery over on Maple Street.

---

IN BRIEF: n. - Artillery designed to shoot upward at airplanes; Intense adverse criticism; A slick spokesperson who can turn any criticism to the advantage of their employer.

Tutor's tip: She said she'd rather catch "flak" (censure) as a "flack" (a press agent) in the newsroom than be known as a "flake." (eccentric person)

LearnThatWord.com is a free vocabulary and spelling program where you only pay for results!

noun
noun, mainly US

1: A publicity agent. (1946 —) .
C. Drummond They were booked to do ten matches in Mexico City; Bull, their flack, had lined up the opposition (1968). verb N Amer

2: intr. To act as a publicity agent (for); hence, to disseminate favourable publicity, etc.; to proselytize. (1966 —) .
Forbes You could cite the country's poverty....You might even fault the tourism board for not flacking hard enough (1984).

3: trans. To promote or speak in favour of; to disseminate (information, etc.) to this end. (1975 —) .

[Origin unknown.]

Previous:	fizzer, fizz-boat, fizz
Next:	fladge, flak-catcher, flake

For a list of words related to flack, see:

• Journalism - flack: sometimes disparaging term for press agent
• Advertising - flack: press agent or publicist, sometimes considered disparaging

---

See words rhyming with "flack."