Newspaper Vocabulary by Mike Mills
There are two types of newspaper - broadsheets and tabloids. Broadsheets are the ones with large pages, and are often more serious. Tabloids have smaller pages, and make all news as eye-catching as possible.
The words below may be used in both types, but are mainly seen in the tabloids. After 2003 most of the broadsheets, who were losing out to the tabloids, made their pages smaller mainly so that commuters could read them easily while sitting - or standing - on crowded public transport. There are very few broadsheets left in circulation.
Non-native speakers of English often have difficulty in understanding newspaper headlines and vocabulary. Using this chart will make reading the newspapers easier!
The words tabloids use are shorter and snappier, catch the eye, use up less space, are more emotive - and help sell newspapers!
This chart is aimed at fairly advanced students of English.
Newspaper Word
Meaning
Example of use in
Newspaper Headlines
xe
cut, cancel
(usually a service)
Council axes swimming pools
back
support, agree with
Council backs bid for new tram link
ban
exclude, prohibit
Lager louts banned from city centre
bar
exclude, ban
Lager louts barred from city centre
bid
attempt, try
Boy bids for round-the-world record
blast
criticise, condemn
Ministers blasted for huge pay rise
blow
setback
Blow to hopes for end to strike
boost
increase
Huge boost in exports
breakthrough
success
Breakthrough in fight against cancer
call
request, suggestion
Call for new congestion charge
clash
disagree, disagreement
Minister clashes with Home Secretary
crackdown
control, purge
Police crackdown on drugs
curb
restrict
Call for curb on late-night pubs and clubs
drama
incident, happening
Drama as pop singer is booed by angry crowd
dump
dismiss, sack, jilt
Man in murder trial dumps defence lawyer
embrace
meet, agree to
Government embraces new initiative on crime
face
confront
Prime Minister faces journalists
fear, fears
worry, worries
Fears for missing schoolgirl
feud
quarrel, row
Neighbours feud about parking spaces
fury
anger
Fury as police arrest famous boxer
go on rampage
cause chaos
Fans go on rampage after soccer match
grab
confiscate, steal
Police grab stolen computers
hit
affect
Snow hits traffic on motorway
hurdle
difficulty, obstacle
Funding hurdle in bid to solve tube crisis
key
answer, solution
Gun is key to finding murderer
opt for
choose
Government opts for French high speed trains
oust
replace, sack
MP ousted by consitiuents
outrage
anger
Outrage as killer is freed through legal error
plan
proposal
MP's back plan for 5th Terminal
plea
request
Mayor's plea for more Government cash
pledge
promise
London Mayor pledges better tube service
probe
investigate, ~ion
Probe into cash missing from airport
purge
control, crackdown
Purge on Capital's gun crime
push for
ask for, insist on
Public pushes for better public services
quit
resign, leave
Top executive found stealing quits post
quiz
question, interrogate
Police quiz suspected terrorist
rap
criticise, reprove
Opposition raps Prime Minister
raid
attack
Police raid houses of drug dealers
riddle
mystery
Missing musician riddle
row
argument,
disagreement
Row over plans to lock up asylum seekers
soap (opera)
popular TV series
East Enders, Coronation Street, Neighbours
- the names of 3 popular soaps.
set to
ready to, about to
Balloonist set to break world record
sex-romp
sex, affair
Soap stars caught in sex romp
shake-up
reform
Shake-up in police bureaucracy
shun
avoid, hide from
Recluse actor shuns limelight
sink
destroy, eliminate
Lack of cash sinks plans for memorial
slam
criticise
Prime Minister slammed by Opposition for backing United States on war.
snag
difficulty, problem
New tramline hits snag
snub
avoid, fail to meet
French President snubs Prime Minister
soar
increase, rise
Crime figures soar in city centre
split
division, separation
Government split on whether to go to war
storm
attack,
anger,
leave angrily
Police storm crack house
Storm over plans to demolish houses
Angry teachers storm out of pay negotiations
swoop
raid
Police swoop on illegal strip club
threat
possibility
Threat of more strike action by post office staff
turmoil
controversy, trouble
Turmoil as new road plan comes into effect
vow
promise
Home Secretary vows to cut street crime
war
rivalry
Ice cream war breaks out between rival gangs
wed
marry
Robin weds sweetheart
woes
problems
More woes for government as poll shows big drop in popularity
Newspaper Word | Meaning | Example of use in Newspaper Headlines |
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