news worthy (newsworthy)

'Newsworthy' is a single-word adjective. Splitting it into 'news worthy' creates a spacing error that looks unpolished in reports, essays, and social posts.

Below: the short rule, quick fixes, many copyable wrong/right pairs for work, school, and casual contexts, ready rewrites, a memory trick, and common compound traps to watch.

Quick answer

Write newsworthy as one word. Don't split it into 'news worthy'. Hyphenation (news-worthy) is unnecessary in modern usage except for rare stylistic reasons.

Correct: The incident was newsworthy.
Incorrect: The incident was news worthy.
Comparatives: more newsworthy, most newsworthy.

Core rule: Why it's one word

Many noun + -worthy adjectives have fused into single words (trustworthy, noteworthy, newsworthy). Treat -worthy as a suffix that attaches to the noun; don't leave a space.

Think suffix: news + worthy → newsworthy.
If you wouldn't write 'trust worthy', don't write 'news worthy'.

Wrong: The whistleblower's memo was considered news worthy.
Right: The whistleblower's memo was considered newsworthy.

Spacing: how the two-word error happens and quick fixes

Writers split the compound because the two parts are visible. Fixing is mechanical: merge the words or choose a synonym. Batch fix by searching for the sequence "news worthy" and replacing after a quick context check.

Editor trick: search for "news worthy" (case-insensitive) and replace with newsworthy when it describes the adjective.
If punctuation splits the idea, rewrite the sentence rather than forcing the compound.

Wrong: The panel wanted news worthy footage for the segment.
Right: The panel wanted newsworthy footage for the segment.
Wrong: We flagged those items as news, worthy of follow-up.
Right: We flagged those items as newsworthy and worthy of follow-up.

Hyphenation: is news-worthy ever correct?

Modern style guides prefer newsworthy. A hyphenated form (news-worthy) appears in older or deliberately stylized texts but is unnecessary in formal writing.

If you hyphenate for layout or branding, follow your house style and be consistent.

Use newsworthy in newsrooms, reports, essays, and academic work.
Avoid news-worthy except for deliberate visual emphasis or brand rules.

Wrong: The editor wrote news-worthy in the headline.
Right: The editor wrote newsworthy in the headline.
Alt: If a brand guide requires it: [Brand] News-Worthy Stories (follow the guide).

Grammar & function: how to use newsworthy correctly

Newsworthy is an adjective. It modifies nouns (a newsworthy event) and can follow linking verbs (it is newsworthy). For comparisons use more/most.

Before a noun: a newsworthy story.
After a linking verb: The story was newsworthy.
Comparative: more newsworthy; superlative: most newsworthy.

Wrong: That discovery seems more news worthy than the last one.
Right: That discovery seems more newsworthy than the last one.
Wrong: This is a news worthy story.
Right: This is a newsworthy story.

Real usage by register: journalism, work, and casual

Usage is similar across registers; tone and frequency differ. Journalists use it to decide coverage, PR uses it to pitch, and casual speakers use it informally.

Journalism: neutral, gatekeeping adjective.
Corporate/PR: often used to justify a press release (can sound promotional).
Casual: a quick appraisal in conversation or social media.

Journalism: The editor flagged the tip as newsworthy and assigned a reporter.
Work: If the pilot test succeeds, we'll have a newsworthy result for the investor update.
Casual: Wow-that's newsworthy! Post a photo.

Try your own sentence

Test the whole sentence, not just the phrase. Context usually makes the right form obvious.

Examples: wrong/right pairs you can copy (work, school, casual)

Copy these corrections into emails, reports, essays, and posts. Each 'wrong' shows the common two-word error; each 'right' shows the correct fused form.

Work_wrong: This press release contains several news worthy updates about the merger.
Work_right: This press release contains several newsworthy updates about the merger.
Work_wrong: The client's proposal included a news worthy achievement that should be highlighted.
Work_right: The client's proposal included a newsworthy achievement that should be highlighted.
Work_wrong: We need news worthy metrics to share in the quarterly report.
Work_right: We need newsworthy metrics to share in the quarterly report.
School_wrong: For my history project, I found a news worthy account of the battle.
School_right: For my history project, I found a newsworthy account of the battle.
School_wrong: The professor asked us to bring news worthy examples to class.
School_right: The professor asked us to bring newsworthy examples to class.
School_wrong: Her thesis argues that the discovery was news worthy.
School_right: Her thesis argues that the discovery was newsworthy.
Casual_wrong: That's totally news worthy-post it!
Casual_right: That's totally newsworthy-post it!
Casual_wrong: He told a news worthy story at the party.
Casual_right: He told a newsworthy story at the party.
Casual_wrong: I think my neighbor's renovation is actually news worthy.
Casual_right: I think my neighbor's renovation is actually newsworthy.

Rewrite help: quick repairs and ready-to-use rewrites

Checklist: (1) Merge into newsworthy. (2) Remove unnecessary words like 'as' or 'deemed as'. (3) If punctuation splits the idea, rephrase for clarity.

Prefer natural phrasing over forcing the compound into awkward punctuation.
When a hyphen appears because of a dash or parenthetical, consider reworking the sentence.

Rewrite1: Original: 'The event was deemed as news worthy and was covered by major news outlets.' →
Rewrite: 'The event was considered newsworthy and was covered by major outlets.'
Rewrite2: Original: 'We have several news worthy items for the investor deck.' →
Rewrite: 'We have several newsworthy items for the investor deck.'
Rewrite3: Original: 'That story is news worthy-get it on the blog.' →
Rewrite: 'That story is newsworthy; publish it on the blog.'
Rewrite4: Original: 'The announcement, news worthy by any measure, generated interest.' →
Rewrite: 'The announcement, newsworthy by any measure, generated strong interest.'
Rewrite5: Original: 'Are these stories news worthy?' →
Rewrite: 'Are these stories newsworthy?'
Rewrite6: Original: 'We flagged them as news, worthy of coverage.' →
Rewrite: 'We flagged them as newsworthy for coverage.'

Memory trick & quick test

Mnemonic: treat -worthy the same as in trustworthy and noteworthy-those are single words, so newsworthy is too.

Quick test: substitute 'trustworthy' into your sentence. If you wouldn't write 'trust worthy', don't write 'news worthy'.

Substitution test: Replace 'newsworthy' with 'trustworthy' or 'noteworthy' to check spacing.
If the substitution reads correctly as one word, the original should too.

Usage: Substitute: 'That is trustworthy' ⇒ never 'trust worthy'; therefore 'That is newsworthy' ⇒ never 'news worthy'.

Similar compound traps to watch for

Writers who split newsworthy often split other fused compounds. Watch these common traps and their correct forms.

Everyday (adjective) vs. every day (adverbial phrase).
Altogether (one word) vs. all together (two words) - meanings differ.
Already (one word) vs. all ready (two words) - meanings differ.

Wrong: I see that as every day wear rather than formal attire.
Right: I see that as everyday wear rather than formal attire.
Wrong: The announcement was deemed as news worthy and all together surprising.
Right: The announcement was deemed newsworthy and altogether surprising.
Wrong: She was all ready early for the interview.
Right: She was already early for the interview.

FAQ

Is 'news worthy' correct?

No. The standard form is newsworthy as one word. Splitting it into 'news worthy' is incorrect in modern English.

Can I ever write 'news-worthy' with a hyphen?

Hyphenation is uncommon. Use a hyphen only for specific stylistic or branding reasons and stay consistent with your house style.

How do I proof 'newsworthy' across many documents?

Search for the two-word sequence 'news worthy' (case-insensitive), review each hit, and replace with newsworthy when it denotes the adjective.

What's the correct comparative/superlative?

Use more newsworthy and most newsworthy rather than appending -er or -est.

Why do people keep writing it wrong?

Because the word visibly breaks into two obvious parts. Treat -worthy as a suffix and use the substitution test to stop the habit.

Need a quick check?

Paste a sentence into your editor or search your files for 'news worthy'. Small fixes like this raise the polish of emails, reports, and posts-fast.