noun
tabloid
TAB-loyd
noun
1
A newspaper printed at roughly half the size of a broadsheet, typically known for punchy, sensational stories rather than sober reporting.
"The tabloid ran the celebrity breakup as its front-page story."
"She dismissed the rumor as tabloid gossip."
adj
1
Written or presented in a sensational, attention-grabbing style typical of tabloid newspapers.
"The documentary was criticized for its tabloid approach to a serious topic."
How to Use Tabloid
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small-format newspaper (or a style of reporting) built around scandal, gossip, and eye-catching headlines rather than in-depth news.
When to use it
Calling coverage "tabloid" is usually a criticism, implying it is sensationalized or unreliable.
Common pairings
a tabloid newspaper
tabloid headlines
tabloid press
tabloid journalism
Word Forms
tabloided past tense, tabloids plural, tabloids singular
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The _____ ran the celebrity breakup as its front-page story.
Etymology
Originally a 19th-century trademark for medicine compressed into small tablets (tabl(et) + -oid); the sense later stretched to mean anything condensed, and then specifically to the small, sensational newspaper format.