readership

noun

read·​er·​ship ˈrē-dər-ˌship 

1

a

: the office or position of a reader

b

: the quality or state of being a reader

2

: the mass or a particular group of readers

a magazine's readership

Examples of readership in a Sentence

She holds a readership in chemistry.

Recent Examples on the Web

There were heroic tales and tragic ones from the battlefield, and more obviously relevant ones to Western readerships such as the impact on European energy prices. — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 10 Sep. 2026

Your readership is growing at a time when literacy rates are declining. — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026

The opposite of the gotcha interview is the expert interview, when Chotiner lets people who know their trades inside out explain them to his devoted readership. — Merve Emre, The New York Review of Books, 1 Sep. 2026

Originally self-published in December 2024, the domestic thriller gained a following, building a readership before sparking a highly competitive auction and ultimately selling to Atria Books in a major seven-figure deal in North America. — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1719, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for readership

• authorship
• battleship
• censorship
• chairmanship
• chieftainship
• comradeship
• consulship
• craftsmanship
• dealership
• draftsmanship
• fellowship
• fingertip

Kids Definition

readership

noun

read·​er·​ship ˈrēd-ər-ˌship 

: a group of readers