cover story

noun

1. a magazine article highlighted by an illustration on the cover.
2. a fabricated story used to conceal a true purpose; alibi:

   No one believed the cover story released to the press.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cover story¹

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

“Sincere scientists … really believed they might be creating monsters,” says Robin Marantz Henig, who wrote this issue’s cover story on the invention of assisted reproductive technologies, or ART.

From Science News

Still, the cover story has provided Derkach a level of protection, allowing him to don the mantle of free speech and investigative journalism.

From TIme

The drive began with a cover story I wrote called “The Case for National Service.”

From Time

They might put out a new book — a classic signal of presidential intent — or try to be featured in a glossy magazine cover story, which can provide opportunities for them to at least somewhat control the narrative.

From FiveThirtyEight

As a former journalist who had risen through the ranks of the Miami Herald to write cover stories for the paper’s Sunday magazine, I stood at my register, struggling to hold back tears.

From MIT Technology Review

In a hot-button cover story interview with Vanity Fair, Lawrence explained it best.

From The Daily Beast

“[M]any a headband was soon stained red,” noted a TIME cover story from 1964.

From The Daily Beast

The cover story was titled “Kim Kardashian: The Art of Reality,” and written by M.I.A. BFF Lynn Hirschberg.

From The Daily Beast

Third, Franklin Foer wrote a cover story for The New Republic on why Amazon needs to be broken up.

From The Daily Beast

The cover story is about how over 1,000 aboriginal women have gone missing since 1980.

From The Daily Beast

Of course, he could be on the lam from somewhere, but in that case why bother with all the cover story?

From Project Gutenberg

Steve gave us a cover story, and what good is a cover story if you don't use it?

From Project Gutenberg

He didn't have to worry about Jerry breaking down the cover story.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• alibi
• apology
• justification
• pretext
• rationalization
• substitute
• trick