sensational story
2
4.3
- noun
- /sɛnˈseɪʃənl ˈstɔri/
- Literature
:
noticia sensacionalista
- A line like this becomes one where delivery makes all the difference: does it get played as a desperate last resort to Tariq's need for a sensational story, or is it indicative of Ursula's sensibility?
- the most sensational story
Examples
-
She was known for covering sensational stories that captured the public's imagination.
-
But is there more at stake here than a sad and sensational story?
Academic text (2001) -
That's just what we need now, some sensational story in the papers making these guys out to be superheroes, triumphing over evil.
Fiction book (1999) -
I can't say it's true or false, but it seems like a pretty sensational story to have never heard of when you live in Sanger.
Blog text (6) -
The newspaper had rights to one of the most sensational stories of the century, but the photographs documenting it had been discredited by the Bishop's denunciation.
Academic text (1997) -
He recognized that the free press moved from one sensational story to the next, tiring of "yesterday's news" before the blood congealed on the sidewalks.
Fiction book (1991) -
The reporter wrote a sensational story that drew attention to the scandal.
-
After the accident, the tabloids published a sensational story that exaggerated the events.
Synonyms
64
4.1
A person or thing that causes great public excitement
56
6.1
A piece of news that is very surprising and shocks people
22
5.3
An event or piece of news that surprises people very much
12
7.0
Publishing shocking or exaggerated stories to get attention
7
4.6
A very exciting tale that is often not true
3
4.4
An online headline or article that makes people click by promising more than it gives
1
3.5
Something told or written in a way that grabs and keeps your attention
An online article that uses exciting or false headlines to make people click
Antonyms
How Sensational
- Literature
188
3.7
- Literature
2
4.3
- Literature
26
7.3
- Literature
3
3.8
- Literature
68
1.1
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning of 'sensational story' is directly built from 'sensational' (highly exciting or shocking) modifying 'story' (a narrative or news item); a B1 learner who knows both words will naturally infer it refers to an exciting/shocking news item. While there is an additional pragmatic nuance (often exaggerated or tabloid-style), the core meaning is compositional and follows standard adjective + noun patterns common across languages.
Etymology
Sensational story comes from the word sensational, which means something that creates a strong feeling or 'sensation'. In newspapers, writers often made a story big and exciting to get more readers, so the phrase now means a news article made to 'shock' or 'excite' people.