Definition of scenenext
1
as in setting
the place and time in which the action for a portion of a dramatic work (as a movie) is set the first scene was the kitchen of a fancy restaurant during dinner

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2
3
as in situation
position with regard to conditions and circumstances one of the leading figures in the current political scene

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4
as in scenery
the array of painted backgrounds and furnishings used to establish the setting in a stage production helped build and paint scenes for the school play

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of scene In one memorable scene, Mari takes to a whiteboard to explain the destructive workings of capitalism, a lengthy, potentially didactic exercise that Okamoto transforms into an unexpectedly intimate exchange. — Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026 It should also be said that there’s some fairly outsize violence along the way, particularly during the combat scenes, plus other potentially disturbing bits of mayhem that may be too extreme for younger children. — Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026 Round and oval forms—the figures’ long faces, the woman’s brooch, the pattern on the calico, the shape of the man’s ears—create harmony within the scene. — Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 23 Oct. 2026 The female driver of the other vehicle was evaluated on scene and took herself to a hospital for further testing. — Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scene
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scene
Noun
  • The university’s plans offer an opportunity to test electric personal aircraft in a professional setting.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Neutron star mergers and collapsing supermassive stars are both perfect settings for the r-process.
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • In the 1960s America launched the Vela fleet of satellites, whose sole task was to look at Earth’s surface and search for any telltale neutrons, x-rays and gamma rays—extremely high-energy particles—coming from a nuclear explosion.
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Most of these fragments were generated by explosions and orbital collisions that shattered satellites and used rocket stages into clouds of dangerous debris.
    — Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • After Fay described her situation to the agent, Muse returned a two-page fact sheet comparing the cost and coverage of several Medicare Part D plans.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Such businesses can help transform raw observations into practical insights, from comparing conditions over time to assessing how a situation might evolve.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Moving across state lines for school, a new job, or a change of scenery is nothing new for young adults.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026
  • And the scenery that captivated both men’s imaginations remains largely untouched.
    — Nick Scott, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Critics say the revisions discriminate against people based on their family background or gender and put pressure on younger members of the royal family to produce male offspring.
    — Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Milan’s welfare councilor, Lamberto Bertolé, told the AP that more investigation is needed to understand the backgrounds and motives of the young people who joined the looting.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Devers walked back to the dugout in a huff.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 22 June 2026
  • Not everyone feels the same way, however, and some progressive parents and staff are in a huff.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2026
Noun
  • The Same Curve, Every Time Skeptics have been telling this story for a hundred years.
    — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • But all that warm, crowd-pleasing material is incongruously, fascinatingly, and not so comfortably fitted inside a story about great loss.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The interior décor consisted in its entirety of an oil portrait of Morris Chang, the company’s founder.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Except for his painting of Dolly Parton, there’s not a single stitch of new furniture or décor in either of Willis’s apartments.
    — Wendy Goodman, Curbed, 17 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Scene.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scene. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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