ledes
Journalism's opening paragraphs
Ledes is the plural of lede, journalism jargon for the opening sentence or paragraph of a news story—the part that hooks readers and conveys the essential facts.
The deliberate misspelling distinguishes it from lead (the metal) in old typesetting shops.
To bury the lede is to delay the most important information: The article buried the lede in paragraph six.
News article title
- bylineArticle author identification
- datelineReport's origin stamp
- inverted pyramidArticle structure prioritizing key information
- hookCurved catching device
kicker · slug · copy · deadline · scoop · exclusive · beat · newsroom
What begins something
- introductionPreliminary section or presentation
- hookCurved catching device
- grabberDevice that seizes
- setupHow something is arranged
top · beginning · kickoff · starting point
headline
News article title
- bylineArticle author identification
- datelineReport's origin stamp
- inverted pyramidArticle structure prioritizing key information
hook · kicker · slug · copy · deadline · scoop · exclusive · beat · newsroom · reporter
opener
What begins something
- introductionPreliminary section or presentation
- hookCurved catching device
- grabberDevice that seizes
setup · top · beginning · kickoff · starting point
synopsis
Condensed version of content
- overviewBroad general summary
- gistCentral meaning distilled
- main pointEssential takeaway of something
ledesfine print
Miniature contractual text
deep cuts · supporting details · subordinate clauses · asides · digressions
- led astrayCaused to err
- one thing led to anotherEvents unfolded consequentially
- Led Zeppelin
- LED lightSemiconductor-based illumination device
- LED bulbSemiconductor-based light source
- led offInitiated the action