episode

noun

Save Word

ep·i·sode | \ ˈe-pə-ˌsōd

also -ˌzōd

Definition of episode

1 : a usually brief unit of action in a dramatic or literary work: such as

a : the part of an ancient Greek tragedy between two choric songs

b : a developed situation that is integral to but separable from a continuous narrative : incident

c : one of a series of loosely connected stories or scenes

d : the part of a serial presented at one performance

2 : an event that is distinctive and separate although part of a larger series

3 : a digressive subdivision in a musical composition

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Example Sentences Phrases Containing episode Learn More About episode

Choose the Right Synonym for episode

occurrence, event, incident, episode, circumstance mean something that happens or takes place. occurrence may apply to a happening without intent, volition, or plan. an encounter that was a chance occurrence event usually implies an occurrence of some importance and frequently one having antecedent cause. the events following the assassination incident suggests an occurrence of brief duration or secondary importance. a minor wartime incident episode stresses the distinctiveness or apartness of an incident. a brief romantic episode in a life devoted to work circumstance implies a specific detail attending an action or event as part of its setting or background. couldn't recall the exact circumstances

Examples of episode in a Sentence

It was a brief romantic episode in a life devoted to work. He tried to forget the whole embarrassing episode. a painful episode from my childhood Millions of people are expected to watch the show's final episode.

Recent Examples on the Web While talking about a recent episode of The Bachelor, two of his friends, Ashley Lagzial and Gabby McGowan, got the idea of putting him in a similar situation. — Jason Duaine Hahn, PEOPLE.com, 12 May 2022 The new reality show airs on WeTV and is scheduled to come out with a new episode every Thursday starting on May 12, 2022. — al, 12 May 2022 This is a good episode to introduce you to The Survivor Show. — Doug Lesmerises, cleveland, 12 May 2022 In a separate episode on Wednesday, a man was shot by the Israeli police after charging at officers in the Old City of Jerusalem, according to Kan, the Israeli public broadcaster. — New York Times, 11 May 2022 From 2011 to 2019, 53% of young adults who had experienced a major depressive episode in the past year did not receive treatment. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 11 May 2022 On a typical episode of his YouTube show, Lopez vies with Argentinian writer Agustín Laje Arrigoni to serve up the reddest meat to the culture warriors in his audience. — Katherine Stewart, The New Republic, 11 May 2022 And the tour does, indeed, yield a lot of good stuff and consistently fresh situations, from state fairs to a standout episode on a gay cruise that isn’t the type of gay cruise Deborah is expecting. — Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 May 2022 But the queen has had limited in-person engagements since an overnight stay in the hospital last fall, a subsequent sprained back and a covid episode in February. — Washington Post, 9 May 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'episode.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries Near episode

episkeletal

episode

episodic

Statistics for episode

Last Updated

15 May 2022

Cite this Entry

“Episode.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/episode. Accessed 23 May. 2022.

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More Definitions for episode

episode

noun

ep·i·sode | \ ˈe-pə-ˌsōd

Kids Definition of episode

1 : an event or one of a series of events that stands out clearly I'm trying to forget the whole embarrassing episode.

2 : one in a series of connected stories or performances

episode

noun

ep·i·sode | \ ˈep-ə-ˌsōd also -ˌzōd \

Medical Definition of episode

: an event that is distinctive and separate although part of a larger series especially : an occurrence of a usually recurrent pathological abnormal condition a manic episode hypoglycemic episodes

Other Words from episode

episodic \ ˌep-ə-ˈsäd-ik also -ˈzäd- \ adjective

episodically \ -i-k(ə-)lē

\ adverb