tabloid

1 of 2

noun

tab·​loid ˈta-ˌblȯid 

1

: a newspaper that is about half the page size of an ordinary newspaper and that contains news in condensed form and much photographic matter

2

: digest, summary

tabloid

2 of 2

adjective

1

: of, relating to, or resembling tabloids

especially : featuring stories of violence, crime, or scandal presented in a sensational manner

tabloid television

2

: compressed or condensed into small scope

tabloid criticism

tabloidism

ˈta-ˌblȯi-ˌdi-zəm 

noun

Examples of tabloid in a Sentence

Noun

She is used to seeing her name in the tabloids.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Trump was astonished to see Cohn’s name in the tabloids several times a week. — Kai Bird, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026

Also in 2024, the tabloid The Sun quoted insiders who said that Suri had not seen her father in more than 11 years. — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 27 July 2026

Adjective

There is nothing that speaks more to our perma-tabloid social environment than the advent of the live stream, which has allowed ordinary people to become both the celebrity and the paparazzi of their own lives. — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026

The chef hanged himself shortly after reading a tabloid story about her being seen with another man. — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from Tabloid, a trademark

First Known Use

Noun

1891, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

1902, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

tabloid

noun

tab·​loid

ˈtab-ˌlȯid

: a newspaper about half the page size of an ordinary newspaper containing short often sensational news stories and many photographs