exposition

noun

ex·po·si·tion | \ ˌek-spə-ˈzi-shən

Definition of exposition

1 : a setting forth of the meaning or purpose (as of a writing)

2a : discourse or an example of it designed to convey information or explain what is difficult to understand

b(1) : the first part of a musical composition in sonata form in which the thematic material of the movement is presented

(2) : the opening section of a fugue

3 : a public exhibition or show

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Examples of exposition in a Sentence

This is not an easy book, and the reader may find the layers of detail challenging. There are long expositions of the knotty tangles of monarchical lineage, and the necessary chronicle of historical events occasionally consumes the novel's narrative drive. —Lucy Lethbridge, Commonweal, 23 Oct. 2009 He is masterly in absorbing information and masterful in organizing it—skeptical of fashion, clear in exposition, fluent in communication, unremittingly scholarly. —Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, New York Times Book Review, 11 June 2000 Although they were invited to use an early X ray machine on display at the exposition, they turned down the offer, and they never found the bullet. —T. Burton Smith, American Heritage, September 1992 The subject requires some exposition. a clear exposition of his ideas

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s a lot going on here, which leads to a whole lot of gassy exposition to explain it all, including two separate scenes in which two different groups of good guys are tied to chairs while villains bloviate on the intricacies of the plot. — Soren Andersen, The Seattle Times, "‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’: Paul Rudd is back in busy little sequel," 2 July 2018 This overstuffed-but-empty feeling is exacerbated by the fact that there’s a ton of exposition going on, particularly in the first quarter of the season. — Alex Abad-santos, Vox, "What went right and what went wrong for Luke Cage’s second season," 22 June 2018 For black women Another event setting up shop this weekend at McCormick Place (2301 S. Martin Luther King Drive), the Black Women’s Expo is a national exposition tour that originated in Chicago. — Adam Lukach, RedEye Chicago, "5 things to do this weekend in Chicago," 5 Apr. 2018 Still, this is consistent with much of the film’s narrative style which, largely to its benefit, relies more on atmosphere and visual expression than on dialogue or exposition. — Gary Goldstein, latimes.com, "Review: Vincent Cassel's soulful portrayal propels vivid 'Gauguin: Voyage to Tahiti'," 10 July 2018 The opinion was a tour de force of historical exposition and originalist methodology—that is, interpreting the Constitution’s text as it was originally understood. — David B. Rivkin Jr. And Andrew M. Grossman, WSJ, "A Champion of Constitutional Safeguards," 9 July 2018 Essentially, there's not much exposition to be found in Sharp Objects, no pristine flashback that immediately explains the toxic environment within Camille’s household. — refinery29.com, "Who Is Camille's Father In Sharp Objects?," 9 July 2018 Everything that follows is meant as exposition, the equivalent of a sign held up for the audience, containing crucial emotional information. — Mick Lasalle, Houston Chronicle, "Review: ‘Boundaries’ a trip to nowhere," 3 July 2018 Its flaws are forgivable and par for the genre: some brow-raising coincidences; a fast, tidy wind-down crammed with breathless exposition. — Steph Cha, USA TODAY, "Smart women get caught up in deadly intrigue in page-turning 'The Banker's Wife'," 2 July 2018

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