Meaning & use
journalese
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountabledisapproving
A style of writing in newspapers and news reports that uses overused phrases, vague words, or sensational language.
Grammar: Uncountable: say 'the article is full of journalese', not 'a journalese'.
Patterns
- be full of journalese
- write in journalese
- a piece of journalese
The report was full of journalese, with phrases like 'sources say' and 'dramatic new twist'.
Critics say that too much journalese makes the news hard to understand.
She complained that the article was written in journalese rather than plain English.
Common combinations
- full of journalese
- The front-page story was full of journalese.
- write in journalese
- Some reporters write in journalese without realizing it.
- a piece of journalese
- That headline is a classic piece of journalese.
- avoid journalese
- Good editors tell their writers to avoid journalese.
Synonyms and how they differ
- media-speak
- Similar but broader: it can refer to any language style used in the media, not just newspapers.
- officialese
- Similar disapproving tone, but it refers to the language of officials and bureaucrats, not journalists.
- gobbledegook
- Stronger and more negative: it means completely meaningless or confusing language, not just a journalistic style.
Opposites
Word family
- journalist noun
- A person who writes for newspapers or news websites.
- journalism noun
- The activity or profession of writing and reporting news.
- journalistic adjective
- Relating to journalism or journalists.
Commonly confused: journalese or journalism?
journalese vs journalism
Journalism is the profession; journalese is a disapproving word for a particular style of writing.
Practice
The article was criticized for being full of ______, using tired phrases like 'sources close to the situation'.
Choose one answer.
Journalese fits because it refers to the overused style of writing. Journalism is the profession, journalist is the person, and journalistic is the adjective.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “journalese”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.