intertextuality
noun
in·ter·tex·tu·al·i·ty
ˌin-tər-ˌteks-chə-ˈwa-lə-tē 
plural intertextualities
: the complex interrelationship between a text and other texts taken as basic to the creation or interpretation of the text
intertextually
adverb
Examples of intertextuality in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The formal complexity and poignant quietude of Jia’s filmmaking haven’t endeared him much to previous Cannes juries, and for some this latest entry, with its dizzying chains of intertextuality, must have seemed imposing to the point of being indecipherable.
—
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 2 May 2025
Allusion is, unlike intertextuality, deliberate, and, unlike plagiarism, meant to be recognized.
—Elisa Gabbert, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
But there is a new level of intertextuality among the three singers, whose hearty generosity and palpable eagerness to be together seem to temper the possibility of any one voice becoming dominant.
—Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2023
And the web—particularly social media—provides countless opportunities for intertextuality, chances to recontextualize, retweet, repost, riposte.
—WIRED, 3 Feb. 2023
Øyehaug’s dizzyingly inventive fictions are suffused with uncanny observations about the natural world and a pervasive, tongue-in-cheek intertextuality.
—The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2023
The specific linguistic mechanism at play when fans bat around Swift quotes is called intertextuality—basically, taking quotes and bringing them into new context, like a subreddit or a Senate hearing.
—WIRED, 3 Feb. 2023
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 2 May 2025
Allusion is, unlike intertextuality, deliberate, and, unlike plagiarism, meant to be recognized.
—Elisa Gabbert, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
But there is a new level of intertextuality among the three singers, whose hearty generosity and palpable eagerness to be together seem to temper the possibility of any one voice becoming dominant.
—Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2023
And the web—particularly social media—provides countless opportunities for intertextuality, chances to recontextualize, retweet, repost, riposte.
—WIRED, 3 Feb. 2023
Øyehaug’s dizzyingly inventive fictions are suffused with uncanny observations about the natural world and a pervasive, tongue-in-cheek intertextuality.
—The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2023
The specific linguistic mechanism at play when fans bat around Swift quotes is called intertextuality—basically, taking quotes and bringing them into new context, like a subreddit or a Senate hearing.
—WIRED, 3 Feb. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Intertextuality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intertextuality. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share