English

Noun

headline ‎(plural headlines)

1. The heading or title of a newspaper or magazine article.
   • 2013 June 22, “Snakes and ladders”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8841, page 76:

     Risk is everywhere. From tabloid headlines insisting that coffee causes cancer (yesterday, of course, it cured it) to stern government warnings about alcohol and driving, the world is teeming with goblins. For each one there is a frighteningly precise measurement of just how likely it is to jump from the shadows and get you.

   The headline on today's newspaper reads "John Doe Wins Wood-Splitting Competition."‎

2. (entertainment) The top-billed attraction.
3. (nautical) A headrope.

Synonyms

• (heading): hed
• (top-billed attraction): headliner

Related terms

(heading):

• byline
• dateline

Translations

See also

• Glossary of journalism: Article components

Verb

headline ‎(third-person singular simple present headlines, present participle headlining, simple past and past participle headlined)

1. (entertainment) To have top billing; to be the main attraction

Derived terms

• headliner