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.

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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

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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

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Etymology

Origin of headline

First recorded in 1620–30; head + line ¹

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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

The newspaper separately carries some sport news under the headline "brothers in arms", as Jude Bellingham is joined by his brother Jobe on the England football squad.

From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2026

Finally, residents of Linton-on-Ouse in north Yorkshire stare down the barrel of a lens on the front page of the Daily Express, under the headline: "You are not listening!"

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 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

Directly below the picture of the demonstrators ran an article, with its headline printed in a typeface several points larger than that used for the photograph’s caption.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

The announcement of Great America’s closure follows recent headlines regarding ride safety concerns at other Six Flags parks.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2026

"Through my tours, I am giving visitors an opportunity to experience its landscapes, our culture and people beyond the familiar negative headlines."

From BBC ● Nov. 7, 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

My head is buzzing with the headlines about the queen and Auguste.

From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton

“There’s a reason U2 has headlined stadiums for decades: they don’t just perform, they deliver iconic moments audiences remember forever,” Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

This summer, Raye was among the six British and Irish artists who headlined Reading and Leeds Festival.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

Investors had been lining up for a parade of IPOs this fall, expected to be headlined by a gigantic and record-setting offering from Anthropic.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

Now the news side of the Chronicle has published a story headlined “Scott Wiener spent years rewriting California housing law. What does he have to show for it?”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

But my jaw really dropped when I read a July 19,2004, article from the International Herald Tribune headlined: “Want Fries With Outsourcing?”

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman

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

The musician and actor played her first full headlining show in years Friday night at the Hollywood Bowl.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026

Years before BTS were selling out Wembley Stadium and Blackpink were headlining Hyde Park, Big Bang were already proving Korean pop could succeed far beyond Asia.

From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026

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

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026

I was headlining at clubs all over the country.

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

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