yellow journalism
noun
: news reporting that features sensational or scandalous items or ordinary news sensationally distorted
By the late 1890s and into the early 1900s, editors and managers sought methods to improve and increase readership. Yellow journalism was rampant. This style of newspaper reporting prioritized sensationalism, exaggeration and emotional appeal over facts.—
Mark Rountree
Mark RountreeAnd, unlike the 1890s when there were still papers engaging in serious journalism, today's yellow journalism is ubiquitous across the media consumed by the majority of Americans.—Thom Hartmann
Thom HartmannExamples of yellow journalism in a Sentence
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The Christian Science Monitor was forged in a crucible of yellow journalism.
—Christa Case Bryant, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Mar. 2025
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Christa Case Bryant, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Yellow journalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yellow%20journalism. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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