journalese

J8O1U1R1N1A1L1E1S1E1
UK/ˌd͡ʒɜː.nəˈliːz/US/ˌd͡ʒɝ.nəˈliz/

noun

A style of writing used in some newspapers and magazines, characterized by cliché, hyperbolic language, use of some vocabulary items that are mostly confined to this genre, and clipped syntax.

Scrabble 17

Meanings

nounjournalese (countable and uncountable, plural journaleses)

plural journaleses

  1. countableuncountableA style of writing used in some newspapers and magazines, characterized by cliché, hyperbolic language, use of some vocabulary items that are mostly confined to this genre, and clipped syntax.

    We write journalese out of habit, sometimes from misguided training, and to sound urgent, authoritative and, well, journalistic. But it doesn't do any of that.

    c. 2000, Joe Grimm, Detroit Free Press
    1 more example

    The veteran newspaper columnist, Keith Waterhouse, identifies two versions of this journalese. The first is officialese. It can be found everywhere […] The second version, which he calls tabloidese, is characterised by bolted-together monosyllables and sensationalism. Both types of journalese have this in common: people don't speak like that.

    2004, Rick Thompson, Writing for Broadcast Journalists, Routledge, →ISBN, page 21

    Synonyms: newspaperese

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA style of writing used in some newspapers and magazines, characterized by cliché, hyperbolic language, use of some vocabulary items that are mostly confined to this genre, and clipped syntax.

Also see

Origin

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 新聞文體 /新闻文体
  • 新聞文體 /新闻文体 (xīnwén wéntǐ)style of writing used in some newspapers and magazines
German Zeitungsstil, Jargon der Journalisten
  • Zeitungsstilstyle of writing used in some newspapers and magazines
  • Jargon der Journalistenstyle of writing used in some newspapers and magazines
Hungarian sajtónyelv, zsurnalizmus
  • sajtónyelvstyle of writing used in some newspapers and magazines
  • zsurnalizmusstyle of writing used in some newspapers and magazines
Polish żargon dziennikarski
  • żargon dziennikarskistyle of writing used in some newspapers and magazines
Portuguese jornalês
  • jornalêsstyle of writing used in some newspapers and magazines
Cite this entry
APA

journalese. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/journalese

MLA

“journalese.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/journalese. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “journalese,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/journalese.

Source: journalese on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.