Common Newspaper Words

Certain words are far more common in newspapers than they are in everyday use. With thanks to Terry Pratchett. In the case of some of the shorter ones, this may be due to the need for headlines that will fit in the columns.


 * Fracas ("Three hospitalised in town centre fracas")
 * Mull
 * Romp (as in "three-in-a-bed sex romp")
 * Rumpus ("Bin Strike Rumpus enters sixth week")
 * "Sex act" (usually a euphemism for oral sex)
 * Feted
 * Lauded
 * Slay
 * Flap
 * Nab
 * Vie
 * Row
 * Ire
 * Inks
 * Slammed
 * Tot (a small child, the word carrying distinct overtones of cherubic innocence, so they like to use it for stories in which horrific things happen to children.)
 * Vowed (when people haven't actually taken vows)
 * Quizzed (in the sense of being questioned by the police)
 * Wed
 * Roared
 * Tired and emotional (libel laws make it unsafe to say someone was drunk without actually administering an alcohol test, so this substitutes. Usually in quote marks, just so no-one can be in any doubt as to what is meant.)
 * Blasted ("Angry fans blast team")
 * Poised (when a newspaper wishes to report an event that has not happened at the time of writing, but is expected to occur imminently - "Beckham poised to sign new contract")
 * So-and-so's baby joy (standard tabloid headline for any story involving a celebrity who's pregnant or has recently given birth)
 * Tout
 * Cash
 * Back (as in "support")
 * Scare (noun)
 * Probe
 * Woe
 * Spar
 * Bid (for "attempt")
 * Aims to
 * Eye (verb)
 * Urge
 * Linked
 * Weighs
 * Okay (verb)
 * Unveil
 * Draws (as in "attracts")
 * Ready (verb)
 * Scrutiny
 * For statistics, "hits," "tops," "climbs to," "dips to," "lags," "surges," "spikes," "tumbles," "flops," etc.
 * Assets (breasts)
 * Charms (breasts)
 * Manhood (penis)
 * Roly-poly
 * Funnyman (for comedian)
 * Dubbed (eg John and Edward, dubbed "Jedward")
 * Alleged (either there really is no concrete proof of something, or the newspaper's hands are tied and they're not allowed to speak the truth without tacking 'alleged' on there first—and even that can still be libelous.)
 * Jibe (a personal insult, usually one that's been or in the process of being blown out of all proportion.)
 * Colorful racing identity
 * Embattled