To save this word, you'll need to log in.
in me·di·as res | \ in-ˈme-dē-əs-ˈrās 
, -ˈmē-dē-əs-ˈrēz \
, -ˈmē-dē-əs-ˈrēz \Definition of in medias res
: in or into the middle of a narrative or plot
Examples of in medias res in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web The pandemic has jammed the churn of social life, pausing human interaction in medias res.
—
Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, "What We’re Watching Under Quarantine," 23 Mar. 2020 The writers and director team attempted to tell the story in an interesting way, dropping us in media res into Carol’s life on Hala and keeping both her and the audience in the dark about her former life.
—
Kendra James, Harper's BAZAAR, "Captain Marvel Can't Get By on Girl Power Alone," 9 Mar. 2019 The resulting transcripts of their conversations, usually beginning in medias res, are masterpieces of comic incoherence and pop up now and again throughout the novel.
—
Katherine A. Powers, WSJ, "‘Transcription’ Review: Heard During Wartime," 20 Sep. 2018 The effect is to give the audience a little hint of in medias res characterization, before returning to the exposition-heavy Act One.
—
Josephine Livingstone, The New Republic, "The First Great Film Adaptation of Chekhov’s The Seagull," 24 Apr. 2018 Rather than start in medias res, Kenneth Womack’s biography of Martin goes, to invoke the title of one of Mr. McCartney’s later albums, back to the egg.
—
Dominic Green, WSJ, "‘Big George’ and the Boys," 6 Oct. 2017 Starting in medias res in the mid-19th century, the book never addresses the question of how, say, the Puritan concept of America as the new Israel might have shaped the American Christian interest in the Ten Commandments.
—
Ruth Graham, Slate Magazine, "Shalts and Shalt-Nots," 15 May 2017
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'in medias res.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on in medias res
What made you want to look up in medias res? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Name that Thing: Flower Edition
- Name that flower
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Share in medias res
Time Traveler for in medias res
The first known use of in medias res was in 1786
See more words from the same year