Kevin
March 19, 2021
Common Questions
Do you know what the word touted means? This article will provide you with all of the knowledge you need on the word touted, including its definition, origin, sentence examples, synonyms, antonyms and more!
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According to Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Unabridged English Dictionary, and other dictionary apps, “touted” is the past tense form of the word “tout.” The word tout can be a transitive or intransitive verb that can either mean to solicit something – business, employment, votes, or something like this – or it can mean to describe or advertise something very boastfully. Finally, it can also mean to praise something. The word tout is also a term in horse racing. Namely, it is a noun that means a person who charges money to spy on a racehorse and give information on said horse’s training, like a tipster or informer. A tout or touter will often charge a higher price at the racetrack for horses who people are eager to bet on, so that they can both make money.
The word tout is often used similarly to the word brag or boast, in that if something is touting some skill they have, they are bragging about it. Something can also be touted, which means that it is greatly praised. For example, a prestigious university could be “highly touted.” A person who goes to this school may have touted their acceptance! When someone is touting something, they are speaking about it in a brazen way – this is not just a humble brag, but showing off or praising excessively. Related words to you include touting and touter.
According to Etymonline, the word tout has existed since around the year 1700. Then, it meant to act as a lookout for, or to spy on. This meaning came from the Middle English tuten, meaning to peer or peep. This is likely a variant on the Old English tōtian, meaning to stick out, peer, or peep. This comes from the Proto-Germanic prefix tut-, meaning project. The word tout took on the meaning to look out for or to solicit around 1731, and took on the meaning of praise or brag about in an attempt to sell by the year 1920. The original meaning of the word tout still bears relation to the horse racing term tout.
There are many different words that have the same meaning as the word touted. These are considered synonyms. People might choose to use a synonym in place of the word touted in order to improve their own vocabulary or to avoid repeating themselves if they have already used the word touted once. The below list of synonyms for touted is from Thesaurus.
There are also many phrases and words that mean the opposite of the word tout. These are called antonyms. This list of antonyms for the word touted is also provided by Thesaurus.
The word touted can be used in many different sentences to describe someone who bragged or praised something to the point of excess in the past. In this first example, Tilly and Winnie are talking about their classmate who just received her acceptance to Harvard.
Winnie: I’m sure you heard about Millie.
Tilly: Oh, I heard. She touted her acceptance letter all over campus all morning. She should just laminate it at this point.
Winnie: I know. I don’t want to seem bitter or anything, but it’s getting annoying. We get it. You got in. You already posted about it all over social media, we don’t need to see the evidence at school all day, too. I mean, I got into an Ivy early admission too and I’m not being so annoying about it.
Tilly: Wait, what?! You did? Which one?!
Winnie: Brown!
Tilly: Oh my God, amazing! You have to tell everyone! Tout your little heart out!
Here, Winnie and Tilly use the word tout to mean brag. In this next example, Tilly is talking to her counselor about the colleges she is considering attending,
Tilly: I applied to places like UCLA, NYU, USC. And then as backups, I applied to all of the rest of the UCs and the CSUs.
Counselor: That’s quite a list. Some of those schools are very highly touted. But I’m not sure if your grades will be enough.
Tilly: But they’re going to look at me well rounded, right? I mean, I play three sports, I was in the foster care system, I volunteer, I’m on the student council. A 3.5 GPA can’t count me out, can it?
Overall, the word touted is the past tense form of the word tout. If someone is to tout something, this means that they are bragging about something or soliciting something, The word tout is also a horse racing term. Here, it is a noun that means someone who spies on horses’ training in exchange for money from people who bet on horse races. The word tout is often used in place of the words praise or brag.
