Meaning of AstroTurf | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Alternative spelling of AstroTurf.
   alt-of, alternative
2. A synthetic material used in sports grounds as a durable substitute for natural grass.
   uncountable
3. A campaign designed to appear like a genuine popular (or grassroots) movement, that does not have such popular support.
   US

Equivalents

Examples

“And then there's AstroTurf. Invented in Research⟳ Triangle Park⟳, North Carolina, and patented by Monsanto in 1965, AstroTurf is the world's first synthetic turf used as a sports playing surface, coming to fame—and its name⟳—when it was put⟳ into the Houston Astrodome in 1966.”

“An Astroturf campaign is a fake grassroots movement: it purports to be a spontaneous uprising of concerned citizens, but in reality it is founded and funded by elite interests. Some Astroturf campaigns have⟳ no grassroots component at all. Others catalyse and direct⟳ real mobilisations.”

CEFR level