← DictionarySubheadline
also called subhead, deck
A supporting line beneath a headline that adds the necessary detail.
The second line that fills in what the headline left out.
What It Is
Subheadline is part of Content, and more precisely Craft. What it actually refers to is a supporting line beneath a headline that adds the necessary detail.
It is a label with a settled working definition, so the value is in using it the same way every time. Held that way, the term stays useful instead of turning into decoration.
How It's Used
Most of the time Subheadline is used in editorial planning, briefs and the day-to-day work of publishing. In real work it sits close to Headline, Body Copy and Visual Hierarchy. The practical test is whether everyone in the room means the same thing by it.
Why It Matters
Ignoring Subheadline rarely fails loudly — it fails slowly. When it is unclear, output goes up and effect goes sideways. Deciding it deliberately costs one conversation. Leaving it undecided costs several.
It is the short word for a longer explanation. The second line that fills in what the headline left out.
Termshift™
How the meaning shifts depending on who is using it, and where.
Inside the industry, Subheadline is used tightly and assumed to be understood: a supporting line beneath a headline that adds the necessary detail.
Away from the jargon, it is the second line that fills in what the headline left out.
The Bottom Line
Subheadline is not complicated — it is just often left vague. The second line that fills in what the headline left out. Decide it, write it down, move on.