spin
SPIN
/spɪn/
A biased interpretation of an event or campaign to influence public opinion.
Usually involves highlighting positive facts while ignoring or downplaying negative ones.
The story behind the word. From the Old English 'spinnan', referring to the twisting of fibers to make thread. In the 1970s, it began to be used for 'twisting' the truth to make a 'yarn' or story that people would believe.
Word relationships
- slant: Slant is a more subtle, often unconscious bias; spin is a deliberate PR tactic.
- objectivity: The quality of being uninfluenced by personal feelings or bias.
Commonly confused with
- lying: Lying is stating a falsehood; spin is framing the truth in a manipulative way.
Word family
- spinner (noun): A person who provides spin (often 'spin doctor').
- spinning (verb): The act of providing a biased interpretation.
Collocations
- put a spin on
- political spin
- spin doctor
Idioms & expressions
- spin a yarn
Example sentences
- "The PR team tried to put a positive spin on the factory closure by calling it a 'strategic consolidation for future growth'." Public relations.
- "Don't believe the official spin; the new law actually makes it easier for companies to pollute." Political news.
Memory hook
If you 'spin' a top, it gets blurry; if you 'spin' a story, the truth gets blurry. Twisting the truth until it's blurry.
When not to use
Do not use for a complete lie; spin usually works with existing facts but twists their meaning.
Fun facts
- A 'spin doctor' is a slang term for a PR professional who is an expert at manipulating news coverage.
Related words
Explore more words
slant, Manipulation, distortion, equivocate, prevaricate, bias
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