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

The acronym first appeared in British tabloids in the early 2000s to refer to English soccer players’ partners, such as Victoria Beckham and Cheryl Cole. — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026

Many members of the public, along with the tabloids, have questioned where the U-turn came from, with the king's age and health listed among the possible reasons for their homecoming. — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026

Adjective

Black Palace is set in 1888 London as an emerging tabloid media terrifies the public with lurid stories of infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper. — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2026

After years of tabloid attention and personal struggles, Lohan left the United States in 2014 and eventually relocated full-time to Dubai, spending much of the next decade outside the Hollywood spotlight. — Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 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