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

Less than two years later, the couple announced their split from the royal family, but interest in them remained high as mostly negative headlines from Rupert Murdoch’s UK tabloids – longtime foes of Prince Harry – carried over into News Corp’s vast stable of Australian mastheads. —Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026

In doing so, the tabloid has become an improbable fount of accountability in a political era characterized by impasse, fear, and an ad-nauseam passing of the buck. —Paula Mejía, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2026

Adjective

But while official updates were rare, tabloid speculation and internet sleuthing were rampant. —Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026

The goal, according to German tabloid Bild—which broke the story over the weekend—is to nudge workers with minor ailments, like a cold, back into the office rather than reaching for the phone. —Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 16 Apr. 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