Pensions and Other Postretirement Plans (Reconciliation of Change in Pension Plan Assets Fair Value Using Level 3 Inputs) (Details 10) - Level 3 [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Private investment fund [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets, Level 3 Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Fair value of assets at beginning of year	$ 151,854	$ 0
Purchases, sales and settlements, net	130,000	150,000
Gains (losses) relating to assets sold	0	0
Gains relating to assets still held at year-end	214,604	1,854
Fair value of assets at end of year	496,458	151,854
U.S. stock index fund [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets, Level 3 Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Fair value of assets at beginning of year	322,229	601,395
Purchases, sales and settlements, net	(100,000)	(425,000)
Gains (losses) relating to assets sold	(5,763)	68,658
Gains relating to assets still held at year-end	39,825	77,176
Fair value of assets at end of year	$ 256,291	$ 322,229

Amount, measured using unobservable inputs, of increase (decrease) in plan assets of defined benefit plan from actual return (loss) on assets sold.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanActualReturnOnPlanAssetsSoldDuringPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, measured using unobservable inputs, of increase (decrease) in plan assets of defined benefit plan from actual return (loss) on assets still held.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanActualReturnOnPlanAssetsStillHeld
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanChangeInFairValueOfPlanAssetsLevel3ReconciliationRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of asset segregated and restricted to provide benefit under defined benefit plan. Asset includes, but is not limited to, stock, bond, other investment, earning from investment, and contribution by employer and employee.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(iv)(01)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(iv)(01)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(ii)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 17
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118257860&loc=d3e4179-114921

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(iv)(02)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(ii)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, measured using unobservable input, of increase (decrease) in plan asset of defined benefit plan from purchase, sale and settlement of trade associated with underlying investment.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanPurchasesSalesAndSettlements
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=us-gaap_PrivateEquityFundsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=ghc_EquityFundsUSMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: