fourth wall
noun
: an imaginary wall (as at the opening of a modern stage proscenium) that keeps performers from recognizing or directly addressing their audience
Examples of fourth wall in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Known as breaking the fourth wall, few directors pull it off successfully.
—
Linnea Wicklund, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026
The music wasn't breaking the fourth wall, playing on expectation; its only interface with the outside world was that her voice was reaching me.
—Sheldon Pearce, NPR, 16 June 2026
To the artist, that proverbial fourth wall came down after making 2024's 9 Lives.
—Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026
But filmmakers have been using the format to tell hyperrealistic stories and break the fourth wall by directly addressing the audience for decades, from Albert Brooks' prescient Real Life (1979) to Rob Reiner's cult classic, This Is Spinal Tap (1984).
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 June 2026
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Linnea Wicklund, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026
The music wasn't breaking the fourth wall, playing on expectation; its only interface with the outside world was that her voice was reaching me.
—Sheldon Pearce, NPR, 16 June 2026
To the artist, that proverbial fourth wall came down after making 2024's 9 Lives.
—Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026
But filmmakers have been using the format to tell hyperrealistic stories and break the fourth wall by directly addressing the audience for decades, from Albert Brooks' prescient Real Life (1979) to Rob Reiner's cult classic, This Is Spinal Tap (1984).
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for fourth wall
Cite this Entry
“Fourth wall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fourth%20wall. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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