newspaper

newspaper — noun

1. a publication, found either in physical print or online, that provides informati

1.nounA2
Definition

a publication, found either in physical print or online, that provides information about current events, along with opinion writing, pictures, and commercial messages, and comes out again on a regular schedule.

Example

Every morning, Baraka reads the newspaper while drinking coffee on the balcony.

collocation: read the newspaper

The local newspaper ran a long article about the new hospital that just opened.

newspaper + ran (published) + article

Common collocations
  • read the newspaper
  • a daily newspaper
  • a weekly newspaper
  • a local newspaper
  • a national newspaper
  • an online newspaper
  • a newspaper article
  • a newspaper report
  • a newspaper advertisement
  • a newspaper editor
  • a newspaper reporter
  • the newspaper industry
  • subscribe to a newspaper
Synonyms
  • paper

    informal short form; 'Have you seen today's paper?'

  • daily

    refers specifically to a newspaper published every weekday; 'The local daily covers city hall news.'

  • journal

    more formal; often used in the name of a serious newspaper, e.g. The Wall Street Journal

  • gazette

    used in newspaper titles, especially official or community publications

Grammar Patterns

newspaper + VERB (publishes, reports, runs)

the + newspaper + of + place/group

Usage Note

Used as a countable noun (a newspaper / two newspapers) when referring to individual copies or titles. Uncountable when referring to the medium generally (I read it in the newspaper).

Common Mistakes

I read newspaper every day.
I read the newspaper every day.
'newspaper' is a countable noun and needs an article or determiner.
I saw the news on newspaper.
I saw the news in the newspaper.
use 'in' for reading something inside a newspaper.

2. a business or organization that produces a newspaper and sells it to the public.

2.nounB1
Definition

a business or organization that produces a newspaper and sells it to the public.

Example

The newspaper fired three editors after they published a story that was not true.

the newspaper + fired (employer acting)

Christopher wrote a letter to the newspaper complaining about the unfair review of his book.

Common collocations
  • work for a newspaper
  • a newspaper apologizes for something
  • a newspaper hires/fires someone
  • a newspaper closes down
  • write to a newspaper
  • a national newspaper
  • a local newspaper
  • a newspaper owner
  • a newspaper office
Synonyms
  • press

    refers to newspapers as a collective industry; 'The press has criticized the government.'

  • publisher

    the person or company that owns the newspaper; 'The publisher decided to close the Sunday edition.'

Grammar Patterns

the newspaper + VERB (fired, hired, closed, sold, apologized)

work for + a/the newspaper

Usage Note

Frequently used with verbs that describe organizational actions: lay off, hire, apologize, close, go bankrupt. The definite article 'the' is common when referring to a specific known newspaper company.

Common Mistakes

He works for newspaper.
He works for a newspaper.
an article is needed before the countable noun.
Newspaper said the weather will be warm.
The newspaper said the weather will be warm.
use 'the' when referring to a specific newspaper company.

3. pages from newspapers that people have already read, saved for re-use as a cheap

3.nounB1
Definition

pages from newspapers that people have already read, saved for re-use as a cheap material for wrapping, cleaning, or protecting surfaces.

Example

Samir wrapped the old dishes in newspaper before putting them into the moving box.

collocation: wrapped ... in newspaper

Mayumi used old newspaper to clean the windows until they were perfectly clear and shiny.

collocation: old newspaper + clean

Common collocations
  • old newspaper
  • a piece of newspaper
  • some newspaper
  • wrapped in newspaper
  • covered with newspaper
  • lined with newspaper
  • cleaned with newspaper
  • stacks of newspaper
  • sheets of newspaper
Synonyms
  • newsprint

    the thin, cheap paper that newspapers are printed on; more technical

  • wrapping paper

    paper designed for wrapping; different from old newspaper but used similarly

Grammar Patterns

wrapped/covered in + newspaper

newspaper + as material (uncountable)

Usage Note

Always uncountable in this sense — you say 'a piece of newspaper' not 'a newspaper'. Common with verbs like wrap, line, cover, stuff, and prepositions like in, with.

Common Mistakes

He wrapped it in newspapers.
He wrapped it in newspaper.
This sense is uncountable; no plural -s.
I used a newspaper to clean the windows.' (when meaning old paper material)
I used some newspaper to clean the windows.
use 'some' or 'a piece of' to avoid confusion with the publication sense.

newspaper — verb

Word family

  • news
    nounA1
  • newsagent
    nounB1
  • newsletter
    nounB1
  • newspaperman
    nounC1
  • newspaperwoman
    nounC1
  • newsprint
    nounC2
  • newsworthy
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These five words all refer to printed news publications, but they differ in formality and scope. 'Newspaper' is the most general and neutral term, suitable for everyday use. 'Paper' is an informal abbreviation — you might say 'Have you seen today's paper?' to a colleague, but you would not use it in formal business writing. 'Daily' is narrower: it refers only to a newspaper published every weekday or every day, as in 'The local daily covers the town council meetings.' 'Journal' is more formal and often appears in the titles of serious publications (The Wall Street Journal, The New England Journal of Medicine) or specialized periodicals. 'Gazette' is the most restricted — it commonly appears in the names of official government publications or community newspapers (The London Gazette), but is rarely used as a generic term. For everyday learner use, 'newspaper' and 'paper' are the safest choices.

newspaper ↗paper ↗daily ↗journal ↗gazette ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • newspaper article
  • newspaper report
  • newspaper editor
  • newspaper reporter
  • newspaper industry
  • newspaper office
  • newspaper column
  • newspaper page

Phrases

  • in the newspaper
  • read about it in the newspaper
  • make the newspaper
  • hit the newspaper stands

Prepositions

  • in the newspaper
  • in today's newspaper
  • through the newspaper
  • across the newspaper

Etymology

EnglishEnglish

The word 'newspaper' combines 'news' (newly received information about recent events) and 'paper' (the material it was originally printed on). The term first appeared in English in the late 1600s, when printed news sheets became common in London coffee houses. Before 'newspaper' was widely used, people called them 'newsbooks' or 'mercuries'. The modern meaning settled as regular printed publications grew popular in the 1700s.