storyline

noun

sto·​ryline ˈstȯr-ē-ˌlīn 

variants or less commonly story line

plural storylines also story lines

1

: a plotline of a story, drama, or game

HBO's Insecure has been an exquisite platform of compelling, nuanced, mature storylines for Black TV comedy during its run.

—Matthew Allen

Pointless, menial objectives in a game distract from the main storyline and dilute the impact of more fun, engrossing missions.

—Teddy Amenabar

The two story lines, each with its own compelling view of love, coalesce in a dramatic and surprising ending.

—Martha Toll

also : story sense 1a

I've long wondered how the brain fits such unexpected sounds so smoothly and adroitly into dreams. The suggestion that the brain always brings phenomena to awareness a split second after they actually occur—in order to construct a plausible storyline for their appearance—offers a possible answer.

—Robert Levy

2

: a matter of particular importance, concern, or interest to an audience

—used especially in sports

The main storyline for the Timberwolves is the addition of three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.

—Tyler Schmidt

The fact Ovechkin has brought the impossible record within reach changes the way you watch the game. … Because Gretzky's goal total is the ultimate individual record in the sport, the chase trumps every other storyline surrounding this team from now until Ovechkin gets there.

—J. J. Regan

often : one that is evolving or developing

The offensive line is a major storyline to watch throughout training camp and the preseason, especially considering there's a new quarterback under center for the fifth consecutive season.

—Kevin Hickey

Synonyms

• action
• plot
• story

Examples of storyline in a Sentence

the story line is clumsily interrupted several times to provide some much-needed background information

Recent Examples on the Web

What’s beautiful about this storyline is it’s flipped. —Jessica Wang, EW.com, 10 June 2024

Caleb Williams The development of the No. 1 pick will be the biggest storyline of the year, and the significance of his progress cannot be overstated. —Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 9 June 2024

At the same time, such movements serve up simple, consistent storylines that give followers an easy way to navigate an increasingly chaotic world—storylines complete with enemies, scapegoats, and a heroic role for people like themselves. —Michiko Kakutani, TIME, 6 June 2024

Its six-episode run should be the standard for a format that too often feels padded with storylines that exist only to boost streaming numbers. —Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2024

The storylines are lot juicier, too, with Kyrie Irving and Boston big man Kristaps Porzingis facing their former teams on the biggest stage. —Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 June 2024

Artur Debat—Getty Images Peppa Pig’s episodes are not exactly Charles Dickens—each is only five minutes long and the storyline covers simple themes in a light-hearted, humorous way, carefully avoiding villains or other sources of conflict. —Amanda Gerut, Fortune Europe, 1 June 2024

David Koepp, who wrote the screenplays for the original Jurassic Park and its sequel The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), both based on Michael Crichton's books, is set to return to pen the script with a new storyline. —Jen Juneau, Peoplemag, 22 May 2024

The original version of the character was a lousy pilot who made it to Top Gun through nepotism, a storyline Powell thought did the film a disservice. —Eva Hartman, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined at sense 1