sensationalism
sen-SAY-shun-ul-iz-um
/senˈseɪ.ʃən.əl.ɪ.zəm/
The use of shocking or exaggerated language, stories, or images at the expense of accuracy to provoke public excitement or emotional reaction.
Prioritizes visceral emotional thrill (fear, outrage, awe) over balanced context or critical truth.
The story behind the word. Emerging in the mid-19th century alongside popular press developments, 'sensationalism' stemmed from the belief that newspapers were intentionally targeting readers' bodily 'sensations' (goosebumps, rapid heartbeat) rather than their logical intellect.
Word relationships
- melodrama: Refers to exaggerated dramatic art or personal behavior rather than news coverage.
- yellow journalism: Historical term specifically describing scandalous, unresearched 19th-century newspaper wars.
- sobriety: Serious, solemn, and realistic handling of news matter.
- understatement: Presenting facts as smaller or less important than they are.
Commonly confused with
- propaganda: Sensationalism seeks emotional engagement and profits/views; propaganda seeks political control and ideological alignment.
Word family
- sensational (adjective): Causing great public interest or excitement.
- sensationalize (verb): To present information in an exaggerated or shocking way.
Collocations
- media sensationalism
- cheap sensationalism
- tabloid sensationalism
- accused of sensationalism
Idioms & expressions
- yellow journalism
- if it bleeds it leads
Example sentences
- "Critics argued that media sensationalism surrounding crime statistics created unnecessary panic among suburban residents." Media Studies
- "The news network replaced investigative reporting with cheap sensationalism to win higher evening television ratings." Broadcasting
Memory hook
SENSATIONAL-ism provokes raw SENSATIONS instead of sensible thought. Exaggerating stories to trigger emotional reactions.
When not to use
Do not use for reporting genuinely catastrophic events accurately; it requires exaggeration or emotional manipulation.
Fun facts
- The phrase 'If it bleeds, it leads' became the unofficial slogan of news sensationalism during the local TV news boom of the 1980s.
Related words
Explore more words
muckraking, scandalous, dramatic, tabloid, outlandish, editorialize
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