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

In February of 2007, Banks did a segment on her eponymous talk show slamming tabloids that ran a photo of her between takes at a beach photo shoot and criticized her body. —Angela Andaloro, People.com, 11 Feb. 2025

Jackson’s lyrics often contain complaint and justification, and the show picks up his frustration with the tabloids while using MTV journalists to frame and structure the story. —Vulture Editors, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2025

Adjective

Less than two weeks after their red carpet stunt triggered a surge of internet discourse, tabloid sources claim the two have allegedly split. —Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 13 Feb. 2025

When a tabloid scandal broke in October about Rey’s relationship with Spain’s former King Juan Carlos in the 1990s, paparazzi descended on the place. —Dermot Corrigan, The Athletic, 7 Feb. 2025

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