<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<xbrl
  xml:lang="en-US"
  xmlns="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance"
  xmlns:dei="http://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2022"
  xmlns:link="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase"
  xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
    <link:schemaRef xlink:href="ghc-20230224.xsd" xlink:type="simple"/>
    <context id="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224">
        <entity>
            <identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0000104889</identifier>
        </entity>
        <period>
            <startDate>2023-02-24</startDate>
            <endDate>2023-02-24</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <dei:AmendmentFlag
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M180L2ZyYWc6NWY5OWYxODgzOWRhNDM3ZWJmNjFhNGM2MjYzZWZkYzQvdGFibGU6ZDIwZDU5NDY4NDRiNGE1ZGFjYjk0YzU4NTgxMjE1NTEvdGFibGVyYW5nZTpkMjBkNTk0Njg0NGI0YTVkYWNiOTRjNTg1ODEyMTU1MV8zLTEtMS0xLTExNzAyMQ_3a922d97-127d-4afc-8755-26e632bd4356">false</dei:AmendmentFlag>
    <dei:EntityCentralIndexKey
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M180L2ZyYWc6NWY5OWYxODgzOWRhNDM3ZWJmNjFhNGM2MjYzZWZkYzQvdGFibGU6ZDIwZDU5NDY4NDRiNGE1ZGFjYjk0YzU4NTgxMjE1NTEvdGFibGVyYW5nZTpkMjBkNTk0Njg0NGI0YTVkYWNiOTRjNTg1ODEyMTU1MV80LTEtMS0xLTExNzAyMQ_57219b01-83b0-4913-83b4-d48b4d5dbe3e">0000104889</dei:EntityCentralIndexKey>
    <dei:DocumentType
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M18xL2ZyYWc6MjNhMTMxZTMyMTcwNGZiM2I3MGViZTRlNzQwNjlkMzEvdGV4dHJlZ2lvbjoyM2ExMzFlMzIxNzA0ZmIzYjcwZWJlNGU3NDA2OWQzMV8xMTE0_aa37beb2-ce66-47fe-a1a8-edb0b4e923e6">8-K</dei:DocumentType>
    <dei:DocumentPeriodEndDate
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M18xL2ZyYWc6MjNhMTMxZTMyMTcwNGZiM2I3MGViZTRlNzQwNjlkMzEvdGV4dHJlZ2lvbjoyM2ExMzFlMzIxNzA0ZmIzYjcwZWJlNGU3NDA2OWQzMV8yMjY_bb643706-d9a5-43be-9a9d-83617c09af2e">2023-02-24</dei:DocumentPeriodEndDate>
    <dei:EntityRegistrantName
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M18xL2ZyYWc6MjNhMTMxZTMyMTcwNGZiM2I3MGViZTRlNzQwNjlkMzEvdGV4dHJlZ2lvbjoyM2ExMzFlMzIxNzA0ZmIzYjcwZWJlNGU3NDA2OWQzMV8xMTE1_f9fd2ab0-4a32-495b-8443-db02c42e2a83">GRAHAM HOLDINGS CO</dei:EntityRegistrantName>
    <dei:EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M18xL2ZyYWc6MjNhMTMxZTMyMTcwNGZiM2I3MGViZTRlNzQwNjlkMzEvdGFibGU6MjdhOTVmM2M0NDc1NGFkZTlhMTQ3MGY5NzdiMDNjOGIvdGFibGVyYW5nZToyN2E5NWYzYzQ0NzU0YWRlOWExNDcwZjk3N2IwM2M4Yl8xLTAtMS0xLTExNzAyMQ_97e1c69c-4a5d-469f-880d-9f168e9b55e6">DE</dei:EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode>
    <dei:EntityFileNumber
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M18xL2ZyYWc6MjNhMTMxZTMyMTcwNGZiM2I3MGViZTRlNzQwNjlkMzEvdGFibGU6MjdhOTVmM2M0NDc1NGFkZTlhMTQ3MGY5NzdiMDNjOGIvdGFibGVyYW5nZToyN2E5NWYzYzQ0NzU0YWRlOWExNDcwZjk3N2IwM2M4Yl8xLTUtMS0xLTExNzAyMQ_5b5193bf-06af-4315-840e-e69cd1b91107">001-06714</dei:EntityFileNumber>
    <dei:EntityTaxIdentificationNumber
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M18xL2ZyYWc6MjNhMTMxZTMyMTcwNGZiM2I3MGViZTRlNzQwNjlkMzEvdGFibGU6MjdhOTVmM2M0NDc1NGFkZTlhMTQ3MGY5NzdiMDNjOGIvdGFibGVyYW5nZToyN2E5NWYzYzQ0NzU0YWRlOWExNDcwZjk3N2IwM2M4Yl8xLTYtMS0xLTExNzAyMQ_2fd0330b-f46f-42f6-b159-55e8a617adf1">53-0182885</dei:EntityTaxIdentificationNumber>
    <dei:EntityAddressAddressLine1
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M18xL2ZyYWc6MjNhMTMxZTMyMTcwNGZiM2I3MGViZTRlNzQwNjlkMzEvdGFibGU6MjdhOTVmM2M0NDc1NGFkZTlhMTQ3MGY5NzdiMDNjOGIvdGFibGVyYW5nZToyN2E5NWYzYzQ0NzU0YWRlOWExNDcwZjk3N2IwM2M4Yl80LTAtMS0xLTExNzAyMS90ZXh0cmVnaW9uOjM3Mzc0Yjk4ZmVmYTRmYjBiNGE3OWNkYTQ2ZWY1N2E2XzU_f7754d94-33ad-4926-b3d8-89891492f172">1300 North 17th Street</dei:EntityAddressAddressLine1>
    <dei:EntityAddressCityOrTown
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M18xL2ZyYWc6MjNhMTMxZTMyMTcwNGZiM2I3MGViZTRlNzQwNjlkMzEvdGFibGU6MjdhOTVmM2M0NDc1NGFkZTlhMTQ3MGY5NzdiMDNjOGIvdGFibGVyYW5nZToyN2E5NWYzYzQ0NzU0YWRlOWExNDcwZjk3N2IwM2M4Yl80LTAtMS0xLTExNzAyMS90ZXh0cmVnaW9uOjM3Mzc0Yjk4ZmVmYTRmYjBiNGE3OWNkYTQ2ZWY1N2E2Xzk_2fc1b178-4296-4477-af31-023f9afa832a">Arlington</dei:EntityAddressCityOrTown>
    <dei:EntityAddressStateOrProvince
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M18xL2ZyYWc6MjNhMTMxZTMyMTcwNGZiM2I3MGViZTRlNzQwNjlkMzEvdGFibGU6MjdhOTVmM2M0NDc1NGFkZTlhMTQ3MGY5NzdiMDNjOGIvdGFibGVyYW5nZToyN2E5NWYzYzQ0NzU0YWRlOWExNDcwZjk3N2IwM2M4Yl80LTAtMS0xLTExNzAyMS90ZXh0cmVnaW9uOjM3Mzc0Yjk4ZmVmYTRmYjBiNGE3OWNkYTQ2ZWY1N2E2XzEz_fda83fb3-1d7f-4829-bca6-3bd4685faa7f">VA</dei:EntityAddressStateOrProvince>
    <dei:EntityAddressPostalZipCode
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M18xL2ZyYWc6MjNhMTMxZTMyMTcwNGZiM2I3MGViZTRlNzQwNjlkMzEvdGFibGU6MjdhOTVmM2M0NDc1NGFkZTlhMTQ3MGY5NzdiMDNjOGIvdGFibGVyYW5nZToyN2E5NWYzYzQ0NzU0YWRlOWExNDcwZjk3N2IwM2M4Yl80LTYtMS0xLTExNzAyMQ_c05778c2-bd8c-42ed-ac6c-f564b33875f6">22209</dei:EntityAddressPostalZipCode>
    <dei:CityAreaCode
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M18xL2ZyYWc6MjNhMTMxZTMyMTcwNGZiM2I3MGViZTRlNzQwNjlkMzEvdGV4dHJlZ2lvbjoyM2ExMzFlMzIxNzA0ZmIzYjcwZWJlNGU3NDA2OWQzMV8xMTE2_54ee9859-d429-4081-b17e-2821c7ae18c2">703</dei:CityAreaCode>
    <dei:LocalPhoneNumber
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M18xL2ZyYWc6MjNhMTMxZTMyMTcwNGZiM2I3MGViZTRlNzQwNjlkMzEvdGV4dHJlZ2lvbjoyM2ExMzFlMzIxNzA0ZmIzYjcwZWJlNGU3NDA2OWQzMV8xMTE3_f9c7123c-8349-46fc-84c0-796bb1d8efa2">345-6300</dei:LocalPhoneNumber>
    <dei:WrittenCommunications
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M18xL2ZyYWc6MjNhMTMxZTMyMTcwNGZiM2I3MGViZTRlNzQwNjlkMzEvdGFibGU6MmQzNDJiOGVjZTU5NDk4MDk3YTA3MGFkYWYyNTI5ZTcvdGFibGVyYW5nZToyZDM0MmI4ZWNlNTk0OTgwOTdhMDcwYWRhZjI1MjllN18wLTAtMS0xLTExNzAyMQ_ad304cab-c799-4a51-bf89-84c8641f890e">false</dei:WrittenCommunications>
    <dei:SolicitingMaterial
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M18xL2ZyYWc6MjNhMTMxZTMyMTcwNGZiM2I3MGViZTRlNzQwNjlkMzEvdGFibGU6MmQzNDJiOGVjZTU5NDk4MDk3YTA3MGFkYWYyNTI5ZTcvdGFibGVyYW5nZToyZDM0MmI4ZWNlNTk0OTgwOTdhMDcwYWRhZjI1MjllN18xLTAtMS0xLTExNzAyMQ_bb14b84d-ce13-4ecb-ba91-d4d92ed2851a">false</dei:SolicitingMaterial>
    <dei:PreCommencementTenderOffer
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M18xL2ZyYWc6MjNhMTMxZTMyMTcwNGZiM2I3MGViZTRlNzQwNjlkMzEvdGFibGU6MmQzNDJiOGVjZTU5NDk4MDk3YTA3MGFkYWYyNTI5ZTcvdGFibGVyYW5nZToyZDM0MmI4ZWNlNTk0OTgwOTdhMDcwYWRhZjI1MjllN18yLTAtMS0xLTExNzAyMQ_92faa893-af48-4d9e-b933-1338dc2bfafc">false</dei:PreCommencementTenderOffer>
    <dei:PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M18xL2ZyYWc6MjNhMTMxZTMyMTcwNGZiM2I3MGViZTRlNzQwNjlkMzEvdGFibGU6MmQzNDJiOGVjZTU5NDk4MDk3YTA3MGFkYWYyNTI5ZTcvdGFibGVyYW5nZToyZDM0MmI4ZWNlNTk0OTgwOTdhMDcwYWRhZjI1MjllN18zLTAtMS0xLTExNzAyMQ_7bcc6804-0989-40ff-8e45-4ccd0ae97a54">false</dei:PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer>
    <dei:Security12bTitle
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M18xL2ZyYWc6MjNhMTMxZTMyMTcwNGZiM2I3MGViZTRlNzQwNjlkMzEvdGFibGU6ODVkNDQxN2Y0MzdlNDJhNjhiYTQ0YWIxZGJiZjQzMzcvdGFibGVyYW5nZTo4NWQ0NDE3ZjQzN2U0MmE2OGJhNDRhYjFkYmJmNDMzN18xLTAtMS0xLTExNzAyMQ_b3f18cce-3144-45b8-8329-81f3dd55df2c">Class&#160;B Common Stock, par value $1.00&#160;per share</dei:Security12bTitle>
    <dei:TradingSymbol
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M18xL2ZyYWc6MjNhMTMxZTMyMTcwNGZiM2I3MGViZTRlNzQwNjlkMzEvdGFibGU6ODVkNDQxN2Y0MzdlNDJhNjhiYTQ0YWIxZGJiZjQzMzcvdGFibGVyYW5nZTo4NWQ0NDE3ZjQzN2U0MmE2OGJhNDRhYjFkYmJmNDMzN18xLTEtMS0xLTExNzAyMQ_2db94727-1e9c-44dc-ab20-b6277abd262d">GHC</dei:TradingSymbol>
    <dei:SecurityExchangeName
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M18xL2ZyYWc6MjNhMTMxZTMyMTcwNGZiM2I3MGViZTRlNzQwNjlkMzEvdGFibGU6ODVkNDQxN2Y0MzdlNDJhNjhiYTQ0YWIxZGJiZjQzMzcvdGFibGVyYW5nZTo4NWQ0NDE3ZjQzN2U0MmE2OGJhNDRhYjFkYmJmNDMzN18xLTItMS0xLTExNzAyMQ_3b35673d-d662-4b8c-bb16-30bef55b1039">NYSE</dei:SecurityExchangeName>
    <dei:EntityEmergingGrowthCompany
      contextRef="i7395e702c0144d95a89150bdc4a1f43f_D20230224-20230224"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjdmMDM5NTNmMzkwNzRlYmFhZjY5ZDhlNmJmMzYxYTQzL3NlYzo3ZjAzOTUzZjM5MDc0ZWJhYWY2OWQ4ZTZiZjM2MWE0M18xL2ZyYWc6MjNhMTMxZTMyMTcwNGZiM2I3MGViZTRlNzQwNjlkMzEvdGFibGU6ZDEwMDQyYTI2OTUxNGUxYmIxNWM3Mjk4YzczN2M2Y2MvdGFibGVyYW5nZTpkMTAwNDJhMjY5NTE0ZTFiYjE1YzcyOThjNzM3YzZjY18wLTEtMS0xLTExNzAyMQ_a6331427-1d83-4472-81fa-c91b159dec10">false</dei:EntityEmergingGrowthCompany>
</xbrl>
