tout

Tout is a verb meaning to publicly praise or promote something, often in an aggressive or persistent way; to tout a product, service, or idea. It can also mean to solicit or seek business or customers, as in a salesperson or street vendor touting for clients. The noun form tout refers to a person who practices this, especially a ticket tout or scalper who buys tickets and resells them at inflated prices. In some contexts touting is illegal or regulated.

In the ticketing and sports world, touts operate at events, stations, or online marketplaces, seeking to attract buyers for tickets, sometimes at above-face value. Laws and regulations vary by country and city; some places ban scalping or require licenses, and consumer protection rules may prohibit misleading conduct. Regulated venues may use official resale channels or digital ticketing to reduce touting.

Beyond sales, tout can describe the act of promoting or publicizing something more generally, for example a company touting its products or a campaign touting its record. The term often carries a neutral to critical tone depending on context; it can imply aggressive promotion or exaggerated claims.