# Barnumize

> English word · Verb

## Definitions
1. To enliven something, especially a spectacle or attraction.
2. To dumb down, cheapen, or vulgarize something, especially to create entertainment that appeals to coarse or unsophisticated tastes.
3. To promote with bombast, exaggeration, or outright falsehood; to hype or sensationalize.
4. To obtain money through fraudulent or deceitful means; to swindle or con.
5. To spread inaccurate or false information.
6. To seek or attract attention, especially through ostentation.

## Etymology
From the surname of P. T. Barnum, a 19th century American showman who co-founded the Barnum & Bailey Circus, + -ize.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/barnumize