What does "fanfare" mean?
A flourish of trumpets or horns as to announce; a short and lively air performed on hunting horns during the chase.
Fanfare
/ˈfænfɛə/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A flourish of trumpets or horns as to announce; a short and lively air performed on hunting horns during the chase.
- Grammar: fanfare is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: ostentation, ado, aldine, anniversaries.
- Useful contrasts: humility, low profile, low volume.
- Usage evidence: He came on board this company with a lot of fanfare and he turns out to have the skill and talent to live up to it.
How to use "fanfare"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "fanfare" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "fanfare" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "fanfare" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "fanfare" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "fanfare" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "ostentation" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "fanfare", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A flourish of trumpets or horns as to announce; a short and lively air performed on hunting horns during the chase. countable
"They played a short fanfare to announce the arrival of the king."
- 2 (music) a short lively tune played on brass instruments wordnet
- 3 A show of ceremony or celebration. countable, uncountable
"The town opened the new library with fanfare and a speech from the mayor."
- 4 a gaudy outward display wordnet
Verb
- 1 To play a fanfare.
"At this the trumpeters again most earnestly fanfared,"
- 2 To embellish with fanfares.
"Today the mower's metal music fanfared summer's choir of motley symphonies and high concertos piped or chanted from a treetop, droned above the pollen bee flowers, babbled over stony brook-beds, whispered by the whine of willow,"
- 3 To imitate a fanfare, in order to dramatize the presentation or introduction of something.
"The name of the farm we were staying on was, tun-tun-tah,' I fanfared dramatically, 'Le Tomple, the temple. Spooky eh?'"
- 4 To introduce with pomp and show.
"Grindingly, laths of wood yielded to brown and yellow hands, a wrenching and screaming of twisted nails fanfared the discovery of the treasure beneath."
- 5 To mark an arrival or departure with music, noise, or drama.
"She stepped neatly into the fray, took up Rover's slack lead and marched him briskly in a northerly direction away from the miniature foe, their retreat fanfared by the triumphant sound of the terrier who obviously thought he had bested an unworthy opponent, and who strutted after them for a few yards, just to make sure they moved well off his territory."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 To publicize or announce.
"So, did quacks cash in on this, fanfaring their own capacity to quell pain?"
- 7 To fan out.
"Just so, light beaded on tin lanterns, drops fanfared from sprinklers, minnows fluted in pools."
Example
"He came on board this company with a lot of fanfare and he turns out to have the skill and talent to live up to it."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "fanfare"?
Common synonyms include: ostentation, ado, aldine, anniversaries, anniversary, arabesque.
How do you use "fanfare" in a sentence?
He came on board this company with a lot of fanfare and he turns out to have the skill and talent to live up to it.
How do you pronounce "fanfare"?
Pronounced /ˈfænfɛə/.
Etymology
Borrowed from French fanfare.