plotline

noun

plot·​line ˈplät-ˌlīn How to pronounce plotline (audio)
: a connected series of occurrences that form the plot or part of the plot in a story or drama

Examples of plotline in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The plotlines each addressed some specific aspect of human existence but were broadly relatable enough to play well to audiences anywhere: Alegría, in 1994, was about the struggle of young people to renew a society. Phil Wahba, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2024 The plotline involving Knuck has receded into the background but is not really missed, because the show’s core relationship is now more clearly the one between Ali and Jersey. Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2024 As the scenes mount, characters on the periphery are gradually fleshed out and after an absorbing episode one, the plotline is left dangling from the highest cliff. Holly Jones, Variety, 7 Apr. 2024 The storyline also must have made its way to the State Capitol, because last month Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger sent a letter to David addressing the plotline about the 2021 voting law. Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Apr. 2024 The putative plotline: A returning President Donald Trump ends all aid to Ukraine, tilting the military balance dramatically in favor of the Russian invaders. Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Mar. 2024 The Kurt Vonnegut Museum shared the joke on Facebook Tuesday and responded with a suggestion for a plotline on the show. Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 27 Mar. 2024 The scenario generator book allows Gamemasters to come up with a basic plotline with a few rolls of the dice. Rob Wieland, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 The lengthy flight duration, emotive movie plotlines, and a certain amount of anonymity is a sure-fire way to open the floodgates. Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'plotline.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of plotline was in 1952

Dictionary Entries Near plotline

Cite this Entry

“Plotline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plotline. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.

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