journal

word

/ˈdʒɝnəɫ/
JUR-nuhl
/dʒˈɜːnəl/
JUR-nuhl

Definition

A journal is a book or notebook where you regularly write your thoughts, experiences, or daily events. It can also mean a serious magazine or publication, especially one for academic or professional articles.

Usage & Nuances

Most commonly, 'journal' means a personal writing notebook or an academic publication. For personal writing, 'keep a journal' is very common; in school and research, people say 'publish in a journal' or 'academic journal'. It is usually more reflective than a simple 'notebook' and often more private than a 'diary', though the two can overlap.

Example Sentences

She writes in her journal every night.

basic

I bought a new journal for school.

basic

Her article was published in a science journal.

basic

Keeping a journal helped me through a really hard year.

natural

He’s trying to get his work into a top medical journal.

natural

I started a travel journal, but I forgot to update it after day three.

natural