subheadline

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noun

A smaller, secondary headline that usually elaborates on the main headline above it.

Scrabble 17

Meanings

nounsubheadline (plural subheadlines)

plural subheadlines

  1. journalismA smaller, secondary headline that usually elaborates on the main headline above it.

    That subheadline is an exaggeration, to be sure. But not by much.

    2023 July 21, Michael Anton, “The Pessimistic Case for the Future”, in Compact, archived from the original on 26 Mar 2024
    1 more example

    The March 5, 1978 issue of National Reader […] contained an exciting front page headline — "Most Major Hollywood Stars Are Gay or Bisexual!!!!" Splashed on the cover are photos of Rock Hudson, Shaun and David Cassidy, […] and, last but not least, Lily Tomlin. In the top right hand corner is the subheadline — "Finally Shocking Truth Can Be Told!"

    1978 April 8, Eric Rogers, “Speaking Out”, in Gay Community News, page 5

    Synonyms: deck, subline, tagline

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA smaller, secondary headline that usually elaborates on the main headline above it.

Also see

Origin

  1. Latinsub
  2. Latinsub-
  3. Englishsub-
  4. Englishheadline
  5. Englishsubheadline

From sub- + headline.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

German Unterzeile
  • Unterzeilesmaller, secondary headline
Polish zdanie pod nagłówkiem
  • zdanie pod nagłówkiemsmaller, secondary headline
Portuguese manchetinha
  • manchetinhasmaller, secondary headline
Russian подзаголо́вок
  • подзаголо́вок (podzagolóvok)smaller, secondary headline
Ukrainian підза́голо́вок
  • підза́голо́вок (pidzáholóvok)smaller, secondary headline
Cite this entry
APA

subheadline. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/subheadline

MLA

“subheadline.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/subheadline. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “subheadline,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/subheadline.

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