journal

verb

journaled; journaling; journals

transitive + intransitive

: to keep a personal journal : to enter or record daily thoughts, experiences, etc., in a journal

As a kid, I journaled about everything from boys to bad haircuts.

—Redbook

The principal at the school says since students began journaling last year, poor behavior reports have dropped 40 percent.

—Stephanie Stahl

The students engaged in several process discussions to reflect on their service-learning projects, and they journaled their reactions.

—Roeper Review

journaler noun

plural journalers

You don't have to be a writer to be a journaler, but journal keeping will make you a writer anyway.

—Robert Moss

journaling

ˈjər-nᵊl-iŋ 

noun

Change your attitude about being awake at night. Savor this time alone for journaling or personal reflection.

—Self Healing

First on the agenda for this crew: a process dieticians call journaling, which involves jotting down every single thing eaten for several days …

—Family Circle

Examples of journal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This could be a great opportunity to journal and reflect on how our own lives could perhaps be fuller. —Joy Harden Bradford, AJC.com, 4 June 2026

Try breathing exercises, journal your thoughts, and meditate. —Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 12 Mar. 2026

If possible, take some time to journal or meditate (napping would also be valid). —Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2026

Who, really, wants to force themselves to read a book a week, or journal their thoughts however fraught the day? —Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 6 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1803, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing journal

• journal box

Rhymes for journal

• colonel
• kernel
• sternal
• vernal
• diurnal
• eternal
• external
• fraternal
• infernal
• internal
• maternal
• nocturnal

Kids Definition

journal

noun

jour·​nal ˈjərn-ᵊl 

1

a

: a brief account of daily events : diary

b

: a record of the happenings of a conference or a legislative body

2

a

: a daily newspaper

b

: a magazine that reports on things of special interest to a particular group

Etymology

Middle English journal "a religious service book containing the day hours," from early French jurnal (same meaning), from jurnal (adjective) "daily," derived from Latin diurnus "of the day, daily," from dies "day" — related to diary, journey see Word History at journey