tabloid

1 of 3

noun (1)

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 3

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

tabloidism

3 of 3

noun (2)

tab·​loid·​ism -ȯiˌdizəm 

plural -s

: the journalistic style and characteristics of a tabloid newspaper

to astound the world with the new is the very essence of tabloidism

—Oscar Cargill

Examples of tabloid in a Sentence

Noun (1)

She is used to seeing her name in the tabloids.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Before their conversation can go any further, Morgan scares himself by remembering that tabloids used to tap celebrities’ phones to get gossip fodder, and hangs up on her. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2026

Famous authors, starting with Charles Dickens in Bleak House, took inspiration from these startling descriptions, which popped up in Enlightenment and Victorian-era tabloids. — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 4 Nov. 2026

Adjective

The Daily Mail, a British tabloid newspaper, first reported Markle's arrest. — Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2026

As the Taylor & Byrne office stresses over the interview, Cathcarts surveys the several tabloid stories that have come out about it while practically licking their lips. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from Tabloid, a trademark

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1891, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

1902, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (2)

1901, in the meaning defined above

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