headline

American  

[hed-lahyn] / ˈhɛdˌlaɪn /

noun

• headlines
  plural

1. a heading in a newspaper for any written material, sometimes for an illustration, to indicate subject matter, set in larger type than that of the copy and containing one or more words and lines and often several banks.

2. the largest such heading on the front page, usually at the top.

3. the line at the top of a page, containing the title, pagination, etc.

---

verb (used with object)

headlined, headlining

1. to furnish with a headline.

2. to mention or name in a headline.

3. to publicize, feature, or star (a specific performer, product, etc.).

4. to be the star of (a show, nightclub act, etc.)

verb (used without object)

headlined, headlining

1. to be the star of an entertainment.

headline British  

/ ˈhɛdˌlaɪn /

noun

1. Also called: head, heading.

   1. a phrase at the top of a newspaper or magazine article indicating the subject of the article, usually in larger and heavier type

   2. a line at the top of a page indicating the title, page number, etc

2. (usually plural) the main points of a television or radio news broadcast, read out before the full broadcast and summarized at the end

3. to become prominent in the news

---

verb

1. (tr) to furnish (a story or page) with a headline

2. to have top billing (in)

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• headlines
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of headline

First recorded in 1620–30; head + line ¹

---

Explanation

A headline is the title of a newspaper story. You'll know the headline, because it's printed in the largest font on the front of the paper. Printed newspapers have headlines, and online journals, magazines, and newspapers also use headlines. A headline is the title of a story in the paper, and it's usually easy to spot by its large, bold letters. Sometimes television and radio news also use the word headline to mean the biggest, most important news stories of the day. The word was originally a printer's term for the title and page number, and by 1890 it meant "newspaper title."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

headline headlines headlined headlining

DBS expects headline inflation to rise to 6.0% from a year earlier, compared with 5.5% in September, reflecting higher food prices and a low year-earlier comparison base.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

Thailand’s headline consumer-price index rose 3.9% in October from a year earlier, exceeding the central bank’s 1% to 3% target range.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

But don’t pay too much attention to the headline number, economists say.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 5, 2026

That is the headline, and it is real, and I am not going to let anyone talk me out of being moved by it.

From Salon ● Nov. 5, 2026

Beneath that headline was a hand-drawn picture of a vacuum cleaner, rendered in color.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

An amateur cricketer has been banned for two years for his role in the 'Clicky Ponting' cheating scandal that made headlines across the globe.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026

“I expect to see further headlines surrounding forced liquidations, especially after today,” Adam Turnquist, chief cross-asset strategist at LPL Research, said in an email exchange with MarketWatch.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 5, 2026

“These contributions don’t care about valuations, they don’t care about headlines, they don’t care about midterms” says Lamont.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

A swath of disaffected progressives started tuning in to his daily marathon livestreams, where Piker riffs on the latest batch of headlines with a trademark off-the-cuff panache.

From Slate ● Nov. 4, 2026

Roosevelt quickly established himself as a leader, making newspaper headlines and earning respect for fighting corruption in the state government.

From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple

The growth was headlined by Palantir’s U.S. commercial business, where revenue surged 148% to $984 million.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026

The steel producer’s results were headlined by the steel mills segment, where earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interests more than doubled to $1.79 billion from $793 million a year prior.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026

Elsewhere in the paper, the G7 agreement on releasing "more diesel reserves" is headlined along with British pumps passing £2 a litre.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

Kacey Musgraves headlined a tribute to late country legend Dolly Parton, while Teddy Swims, Sombr and Raye offered a soulful tribute to crooner George Michael, 40 years after the release of his landmark album "Faith."

From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026

The evening newspaper ran a review headlined local group pitches in, cleans up warehouse.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

With his mandatory challenger out of the way, Smith keeps his dream of headlining Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough Stadium alive and will target some of the biggest names in boxing, including unbeaten American Shakur Stevenson.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

Although reggaeton originated in the streets, the genre hit its zenith in the mainstream this year, thanks to Bad Bunny’s historic Super Bowl halftime show and Karol G’s headlining set at Coachella.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026

In April, he made his Coachella headlining debut, playing a nearly 90-minute set.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026

"The great Guinness robbery" is the Daily Star's top story, headlining on "truck gang steals 70k pints".

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

I was headlining at clubs all over the country.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• caption
• title

---