1
a
: a subject or topic of discourse or of artistic representation
The album focuses on themes of love and loss.
Through all these explorations, a few common themes emerge.—
Angie Han
Angie Han
b
: a specific and distinctive quality, characteristic, or concern
The campaign has lacked a theme.
[Designer, Robert] Bell recommends using lanterns as an easy way to quickly add a theme for party lighting.—Ariel Okin
Ariel Okin
c
: the particular subject or idea on which the style of something is based
The party had a superhero theme.
The theme of the baby's room is animals.
2
music
a
: a melodic phrase forming the subject of a musical composition or movement
When Bach visited Potsdam, the king had presented him with a theme on which to improvise. Most immodestly, Bach improvised extravagantly …—Edward Rothstein
Edward Rothstein
b
: theme song sense 1
heard the theme from the popular show
The song that is the whole premise of the episode is a rip-off of the 'Benson' theme.—Lily Moayeri
Lily Moayeri3
: a writing exercise especially for students : composition
The students were assigned to write a theme on a person they admire.
4
linguistics
: stem sense 4
Examples of theme in a Sentence
If one theme unites his scholarship it is that the Old South cannot be viewed as a monolith.
—Eric Foner, New York Times Book Review, 8 Apr. 2007
One reiterated theme of his book is that the electoral process can be the most dangerous of delusions, tending to confer a spurious legitimacy on those most willing to corrupt it.
—Hilary Mantel, New York Review, 21 Sept. 2006
The Eve of biblical legend was a temptress, thus initiating a lamentable theme in the history of sexism.
—Stephen Jay Gould, Discover, July 1992
The quest for power is the underlying theme of the film.
A constant theme in his novels is religion.
The playwright skillfully brings together various themes.
The album focuses on themes of love and loss.
Adventures are popular themes in children's books.
The growing deficit was a dominant theme in the election.
The party had a Hawaiian luau theme.
They played the theme from the movie “Rocky.”
Eric Foner, New York Times Book Review, 8 Apr. 2007
One reiterated theme of his book is that the electoral process can be the most dangerous of delusions, tending to confer a spurious legitimacy on those most willing to corrupt it.
—Hilary Mantel, New York Review, 21 Sept. 2006
The Eve of biblical legend was a temptress, thus initiating a lamentable theme in the history of sexism.
—Stephen Jay Gould, Discover, July 1992
The quest for power is the underlying theme of the film.
A constant theme in his novels is religion.
The playwright skillfully brings together various themes.
The album focuses on themes of love and loss.
Adventures are popular themes in children's books.
The growing deficit was a dominant theme in the election.
The party had a Hawaiian luau theme.
They played the theme from the movie “Rocky.”
Recent Examples on the Web
The spa While the treatments are serious business at this top-notch spa, The Palm Springs Yacht Club is also here for plenty of tongue-in-cheek-fun, doubling down on the nautical theme and decked out in various hues of blue and stripes, with boating references everywhere.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Feb. 2026
That show also had been conceived as a triptych, with each season tackling a different theme — grief, forgiveness and moving forward, respectively — as Segel’s therapist character has been dealing with the death of his wife.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2026
In a sports media landscape often dominated by contract disputes and on-field rivalries, the Garrett-Kim interview resonated as something refreshingly heartfelt — and the poem, a four-line verse touching on the themes Garrett says occupy his mind most, struck the deepest chord.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 20 Feb. 2026
But maybe in a film as deeply personal as this, in which grief is the glue that binds each scene together, there needn’t be an overarching theme or narrative beyond the desire for remembrance.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for theme
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Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Feb. 2026
That show also had been conceived as a triptych, with each season tackling a different theme — grief, forgiveness and moving forward, respectively — as Segel’s therapist character has been dealing with the death of his wife.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2026
In a sports media landscape often dominated by contract disputes and on-field rivalries, the Garrett-Kim interview resonated as something refreshingly heartfelt — and the poem, a four-line verse touching on the themes Garrett says occupy his mind most, struck the deepest chord.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 20 Feb. 2026
But maybe in a film as deeply personal as this, in which grief is the glue that binds each scene together, there needn’t be an overarching theme or narrative beyond the desire for remembrance.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for theme
Cite this Entry
“Theme.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/theme. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
theme
noun1
a
: a subject for a work of literature, art, or music
guilt and punishment is the theme of the story
b
: a specific and distinctive quality, characteristic, or concern
the house was decorated in a country theme
2
: a written exercise : composition
thematic
adjective
thi-ˈmat-ik
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
