1
a
: a daily newspaper
—usually used in titles
The Wall Street Journal
b
: a periodical dealing especially with matters of current interest
an academic journal
—often used in titlesThe Journal of the American Medical Association
2
a
: a record of experiences, ideas, or reflections kept regularly for private use : diary
b
: a record of current transactions
especially
: a book of original entry in double-entry bookkeeping
c
: an account of day-to-day events
d
: a record of transactions kept by a deliberative or legislative body
e
f
3
: the part of a rotating shaft, axle, roll, or spindle that turns in a bearing
journaled; journaling; journals
: to keep a personal journal : to enter or record daily thoughts, experiences, etc., in a journal
As a kid, I journaled about everything from boys to bad haircuts.—
Redbook
RedbookThe principal at the school says since students began journaling last year, poor behavior reports have dropped 40 percent.—Stephanie Stahl
Stephanie StahlThe students engaged in several process discussions to reflect on their service-learning projects, and they journaled their reactions.—Roeper Review
Roeper Review
journaler
noun
plural journalers
You don't have to be a writer to be a journaler, but journal keeping will make you a writer anyway.
—Robert Moss
Robert Moss
journaling
noun
Change your attitude about being awake at night. Savor this time alone for journaling or personal reflection.
—Self Healing
Self Healing
First on the agenda for this crew: a process dieticians call journaling, which involves jotting down every single thing eaten for several days …
—Family Circle
Family Circle
Synonyms
Examples of journal in a Sentence
Noun
I've been keeping a journal for several years.
She records her dreams in a journal.
Recent Examples on the WebMaggie Fox, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
Williams published his detailed eclipse observations, including how the temperature changed and which planets and stars became visible, in the inaugural volume of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences’ scientific journal, contributing to the growing body of American scientific research.
—Yaakov Zinberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
For the host, this would mean keeping something as private as a journal out of the living room.
—Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024
Dougherty’s affidavit said some deposit slips were missing as was a receipts and disbursements journal.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
There are no other clean skincare products on the market that have done the clinical testing and published them in peer review journals.
—Ingrid Schmidt, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Apr. 2024
As detailed in the research journal Nature Biotechnology, a team at Imperial College London has genetically engineered new microbial strains capable of being woven into wearable material, while simultaneously self-dyeing itself in the process.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 3 Apr. 2024
The study was published in the journal Current Biology on March 22.
—Issy Ronald, CNN, 1 Apr. 2024
The book is the result of exhaustive daily journals kept by Mechner, his father and grandfather.
—Gene Park, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
Rachel Desantis, Peoplemag, 13 July 2023
There was another study conducted in 2003 of 100 young adults who were asked to journal for 15 minutes about a distressing event or simply about their day twice a week.
—Tess Brigham, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2023
Does your love like to journal?
—Cailey Lindberg, Good Housekeeping, 24 Oct. 2022
Then listen to or journal your internal response.
—Elizabeth Gulino, refinery29.com, 31 Dec. 2020
Maybe start with five minutes a day, first thing in the morning, to journal about what is on your mind.
—Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2022
Before leaving, journal your inner awareness, insights or vows to savor as a personalized remembrance that can help to restore enlivening energy each day.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes, 1 June 2021
Spend the evening with a list of writing prompts to journal with one another.
—Devi Jags, Women's Health, 7 Feb. 2023
Eat trashy food, go for a long walk, journal your desires and wishes for the new year or binge-watch zombie movies!
—Anna Pulley, Chicago Tribune, 20 Dec. 2022
Noun
But none of the weight-loss trials, published in prestigious medical journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association, break out separate data on men and women.
—Maggie Fox, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
Williams published his detailed eclipse observations, including how the temperature changed and which planets and stars became visible, in the inaugural volume of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences’ scientific journal, contributing to the growing body of American scientific research.
—Yaakov Zinberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
For the host, this would mean keeping something as private as a journal out of the living room.
—Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024
Dougherty’s affidavit said some deposit slips were missing as was a receipts and disbursements journal.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
There are no other clean skincare products on the market that have done the clinical testing and published them in peer review journals.
—Ingrid Schmidt, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Apr. 2024
As detailed in the research journal Nature Biotechnology, a team at Imperial College London has genetically engineered new microbial strains capable of being woven into wearable material, while simultaneously self-dyeing itself in the process.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 3 Apr. 2024
The study was published in the journal Current Biology on March 22.
—Issy Ronald, CNN, 1 Apr. 2024
The book is the result of exhaustive daily journals kept by Mechner, his father and grandfather.
—Gene Park, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
Verb
Though she’s been in the spotlight for her entire life, Lohan — who would journal and write poetry as a child, which eventually evolved into songwriting — feels more ready to release music than she’s ever been.
—Rachel Desantis, Peoplemag, 13 July 2023
There was another study conducted in 2003 of 100 young adults who were asked to journal for 15 minutes about a distressing event or simply about their day twice a week.
—Tess Brigham, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2023
Does your love like to journal?
—Cailey Lindberg, Good Housekeeping, 24 Oct. 2022
Then listen to or journal your internal response.
—Elizabeth Gulino, refinery29.com, 31 Dec. 2020
Maybe start with five minutes a day, first thing in the morning, to journal about what is on your mind.
—Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2022
Before leaving, journal your inner awareness, insights or vows to savor as a personalized remembrance that can help to restore enlivening energy each day.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes, 1 June 2021
Spend the evening with a list of writing prompts to journal with one another.
—Devi Jags, Women's Health, 7 Feb. 2023
Eat trashy food, go for a long walk, journal your desires and wishes for the new year or binge-watch zombie movies!
—Anna Pulley, Chicago Tribune, 20 Dec. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'journal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, service book containing the day hours, from Anglo-French jurnal, from jurnal, adjective, daily, from Latin diurnalis, from diurnus of the day, from dies day — more at deity
First Known Use
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2b
Verb
1803, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of journal was
in the 15th century
Phrases Containing journal
Dictionary Entries Near journal
Cite this Entry
“Journal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/journal. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
More from Merriam-Webster on journal
Nglish: Translation of journal for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of journal for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about journal
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