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

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

The movie is loosely based on the real case of British identical twin sisters Freda and Greta Chaplin, the subjects of a tabloid court case in the 1980s. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026

The film grew out of Herzog’s fascination with British twins Freda and Greta Chaplin, who became tabloid fodder in the 1980s after a neighbor was granted a restraining order against them. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 2 Sep. 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