denouement
noun
de·noue·ment
ˌdā-ˌnü-ˈmäⁿ 
dā-ˈnü-ˌmäⁿ
dā-ˈnü-ˌmäⁿ
variants
or less commonly dénouement
plural denouements also dénouements
1
: the final outcome of the main dramatic complication in a novel, play, film, etc.
In the novel's denouement, the two hostages escape to freedom.
It is an intentionally unsettling denouement, which is in keeping with the tone and purpose of the entire miniseries.—
David Wiegand
David Wiegand2
: the outcome of a complex sequence of events
the competition's exciting denouement
Examples of denouement in a Sentence
In the play's denouement, the two lovers kill themselves.
Recent Examples on the Web
But then things suddenly get very serious when Zem and Salia wind up falling in love, leading to a tragic denouement at the hands of ALMA, followed by an obvious music cue that must have cost a fortune.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
Growing up as an American, I was surrounded by cultural narratives that treated the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as the denouement of a story, one that began with the attack on Pearl Harbor and ended on V-J Day.
—Kevin Dickinson, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
Lambert gets the last word in the show… well, the last sung word, as Jesus’ crucifixion scene is pretty much the one time the rock opera gives way to a little speaking, following by the spooky instrumental denouement.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 4 Aug. 2025
A week after England won the UEFA Women’s Euro final, Brazil also retained their continental title in a dramatic denouement decided by a penalty shoot-out.
—Asif Burhan, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for denouement
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Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
Growing up as an American, I was surrounded by cultural narratives that treated the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as the denouement of a story, one that began with the attack on Pearl Harbor and ended on V-J Day.
—Kevin Dickinson, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
Lambert gets the last word in the show… well, the last sung word, as Jesus’ crucifixion scene is pretty much the one time the rock opera gives way to a little speaking, following by the spooky instrumental denouement.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 4 Aug. 2025
A week after England won the UEFA Women’s Euro final, Brazil also retained their continental title in a dramatic denouement decided by a penalty shoot-out.
—Asif Burhan, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for denouement
Cite this Entry
“Denouement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/denouement. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
denouement
noun
de·noue·ment
ˌdā-ˌnü-ˈmän
dā-ˈnü-ˌ
dā-ˈnü-ˌ
1
: the final solution or untangling of the conflicts or difficulties that make up the plot of a literary work
2
: the outcome of a complicated or difficult situation or sequence of events
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