promotion

promotion — noun

1. All the things a business does — including adverts, price reductions, and specia

1.名詞B2
釋義

All the things a business does — including adverts, price reductions, and special events — to get people interested in buying what it offers.

例句

The company spent millions on the promotion of its new smartphone.

promotion of [product] — uncountable, general concept

Sahil picked up a flyer at the promotion for the new supermarket.

同義詞
  • advertising

    specifically about paid media ads; promotion includes a wider range of activities like events and free samples

  • marketing

    broader — covers all business activity related to selling, including research and pricing

  • publicity

    media attention that may not be paid for; promotion is usually deliberate and planned

用法筆記

Can be countable (a particular deal or event) or uncountable (the general activity). Often paired with 'sales' — 'sales promotion' refers to short-term incentives like discounts or competitions.

常見錯誤

❌The company did a promotion of the new drink.' (too vague)
✅The company ran a promotion for the new drink.
💡use 'run' or 'launch' rather than 'do' when describing a specific marketing effort.

2. The active work of helping an idea, activity, or cause to become more widely acc

2.名詞C1
釋義

The active work of helping an idea, activity, or cause to become more widely accepted, valued, or successful.

例句

The charity focuses on the promotion of better healthcare in rural areas.

promotion of [cause/issue] — formal, uncountable

Teachers play a key part in the promotion of reading among young children.

同義詞
  • advancement

    slightly more formal; suggests progress toward a goal

  • furtherance

    even more formal; emphasises active effort to push something forward

  • encouragement

    softer; more about giving emotional support than active work

反義詞
  • discouragement

    the act of trying to stop something from happening or developing

  • suppression

    forcible prevention of growth or spread

用法筆記

Nearly always uncountable. Common in formal writing about social, health, educational, or environmental issues. Unlike sense 1, this sense does not involve selling things — it refers to supporting the growth or acceptance of an idea or cause.

常見錯誤

❌The promotion of the new product was successful.' (confusing sense 2 with sense 1)
✅The promotion of fair trade practices has gained support.
💡use sense 2 for causes and ideas, not commercial products.

3. The process of giving someone a more senior job or a higher rank within an organ

3.名詞B2
釋義

The process of giving someone a more senior job or a higher rank within an organisation, usually with more pay and responsibility.

例句

Jisoo received a promotion to regional manager after three years with the firm.

receive a promotion to [position]

Hard work and dedication can lead to a promotion in most companies.

同義詞
  • advancement

    more formal; can refer to progress in a career without a specific new title

  • elevation

    very formal or literary; suggests a significant rise in status

  • upgrade

    informal; can be used for job level but sounds less serious

反義詞
  • demotion

    a move to a lower position or rank

用法筆記

Commonly follows verbs like 'get', 'receive', 'earn', 'win', or 'be given'. Often followed by 'to' indicating the new position. Can be used as an uncountable noun ('He deserves promotion') or a countable one ('She has had three promotions in five years').

常見錯誤

❌I made a promotion last year.' (wrong verb)
✅I got a promotion last year.' or 'I received a promotion last year.
💡use 'get', 'receive', or 'earn', not 'make'.
❌I had a promotion to the manager.' (wrong preposition)
✅I had a promotion to manager.
💡no article before the job title when it follows 'to'.

4. The achievement of moving a side from a lower-level league up to a more competit

4.名詞B2
釋義

The achievement of moving a side from a lower-level league up to a more competitive division once the season finishes.

例句

The team secured promotion to the Premier League after winning the championship.

secure promotion to [league/division]

Fans celebrated wildly when the club earned promotion to the top division.

同義詞
反義詞
  • relegation

    the opposite — moving a team down to a lower division

用法筆記

Predominantly British English — league systems in many European sports use promotion and relegation. Usually uncountable (win promotion). When countable (a promotion), it refers to a specific instance of a team moving up. Common verbs: win, earn, secure, gain, clinch.

常見錯誤

❌Our team got a promotion this year.' (fine in British English but sounds odd in American sports contexts)
✅Our team won promotion this year.
💡'win' or 'secure' are the most natural verbs.
❌The promotion was to the higher division.' (vague)
✅The team won promotion to the First Division.
💡name the specific league or division.