front-page
B2Formal (in journalism/media contexts); Neutral in general use.
Definition
Meaning
Appearing on the first page of a newspaper.
Used to describe news considered important or sensational enough to merit prominent placement. As a verb, it means to feature something prominently on the first page.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily an attributive adjective before nouns (e.g., front-page story). The hyphen is standard in the adjective and verb forms. As a noun, 'front page' is typically written as two words.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Both varieties use the term identically in journalism. The hyphenation for the adjective/verb is consistent.
Connotations
Implies high importance, urgency, or public interest. It can sometimes carry a slightly sensationalist connotation.
Frequency
Equally common in both UK and US media discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
make the front pagebe front-page newsfront-page something (verb)appear on the front pageVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's not front-page news.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in PR/media monitoring: 'The merger was front-page news in the financial times.'
Academic
Rare. Possibly in media studies to analyse news prioritisation.
Everyday
Used metaphorically: 'His resignation is front-page news in our small town.'
Technical
Specific to journalism and publishing layout/design.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The tabloids front-paged the royal scandal for a week.
- They decided to front-page the exposé on political corruption.
American English
- Every major paper front-paged the election results.
- The magazine front-paged her breakthrough research.
adjective
British English
- It was a front-page exclusive in The Guardian.
- The front-page headline caused a stir.
American English
- The Times ran a front-page editorial on the issue.
- She achieved her goal of a front-page byline.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I saw her picture on the front page of the newspaper.
- The big news is always on the front page.
- The accident was a front-page story in the local press.
- His achievements made the front page.
- The minister's resignation was inevitably front-page news across all media outlets.
- The paper front-paged the controversy, ignoring other important events.
- Despite its complex implications, the policy debate never achieved front-page prominence, being relegated to the editorial section.
- The editor was criticised for front-paging sensationalist gossip while burying the humanitarian crisis report.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the FRONT page of a newspaper—it's the most important one, where the biggest stories are placed.
Conceptual Metaphor
IMPORTANCE IS PROMINENCE / BEING AT THE FRONT.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque "передняя страница". Use "первая полоса" for the noun and "на первой полосе" for the adjective sense.
Common Mistakes
- Writing as one word: *frontpage. Using it as a non-attributive adjective: *The news was very front-page.
Practice
Quiz
What is the most common function of 'front-page'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on its function. Use the hyphen for the adjective ('a front-page article') and verb ('to front-page a story'). Use two words for the noun ('on the front page').
Yes, metaphorically. While it originates from print, it's commonly used for the top/main story on a news website's homepage.
A 'headline' is the title of any article. 'Front-page' specifies the article's location (first page) and implies greater importance. A headline can be inside the paper; a front-page story is always prominent.
It's standard within journalism but can sound slightly informal or jargon-like in other contexts. Alternatives are 'to feature prominently' or 'to headline'.
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