subgenre
noun
sub·genre
ˈsəb-ˌzhän-rə 
-ˌzhäⁿ-;
-ˌzhäⁿr;
-ˌjän-rə
variants
or less commonly sub-genre
plural subgenres also sub-genres
: a genre that is part of a larger genre
The series is part of the booming "urban fantasy" subgenre, which features supernatural creatures interacting with ordinary humans in a contemporary city.—
Jennifer Schuessler
Jennifer SchuesslerExamples of subgenre in a Sentence
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Even as the hysteria over the absurdist subgenre has slowed, Mosele said the characters have transcended the digital realm and become an indelible part of pop culture.
—Safiyah Riddle, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Dauberman, who also wrote the script, is playing in the subgenre of babysitter horror a la Halloween or When a Stranger Calls.
—Emily Palmer Heller, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Hatmaker’s book is part of what seems to be an emerging subgenre of divorce-growth memoir, written by people who were raised Christian such as Glennon Doyle, Lyz Lenz, and Lysa TerKeurst.
—Belinda Luscombe, Time, 1 Sep. 2025
Two artists who have scored multiple country hits in the past who have also experimented with other styles in today’s multi-genre world are back with a tune that pays tribute to a specific subgenre of country.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subgenre
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Safiyah Riddle, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Dauberman, who also wrote the script, is playing in the subgenre of babysitter horror a la Halloween or When a Stranger Calls.
—Emily Palmer Heller, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Hatmaker’s book is part of what seems to be an emerging subgenre of divorce-growth memoir, written by people who were raised Christian such as Glennon Doyle, Lyz Lenz, and Lysa TerKeurst.
—Belinda Luscombe, Time, 1 Sep. 2025
Two artists who have scored multiple country hits in the past who have also experimented with other styles in today’s multi-genre world are back with a tune that pays tribute to a specific subgenre of country.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subgenre
Cite this Entry
“Subgenre.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subgenre. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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