noir

1 of 2

noun

ˈnwär 

1

: crime fiction featuring hard-boiled cynical characters and bleak sleazy settings

an example of classic noir

2

: film noir

a comedy dressed in the trappings of an edgy noir

noirish

ˈnwär-ish 

adjective

noir

2 of 2

adjective

: having a bleak and darkly cynical quality of the kind associated with hard-boiled crime fiction and film noir

a noir thriller

In this boldly styled first novel, Komarnicki follows a 30-year-old homeless man on a noir odyssey of death and survival through the streets of New Orleans and Hong Kong.

—Sybil S. Steinberg

The plot of this violent fairy tale is as noir and nasty as the characters.

—Marilyn Stasio

Examples of noir in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Booze, black pepper, and leather accords give the note a sultry, noir bend, while white musks and soft florals transform vanilla into something comforting and cocooning. — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 25 Aug. 2026

Featuring seascape settings and insightful dialogue, this coastal noir tale delivers important ideas with a courageous heart. — Monitor Reviewers, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Aug. 2026

From the outset, the show immerses audiences in 1930s New York, and while set in a noir world, there’s a modern aspect to it too. — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026

Director Ridley Scott’s sci-fi masterpiece raises still-relevant questions about the nature of synthetic consciousness, wrapped in a stylish noir casing. — David Faris, TheWeek, 19 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

short for film noir

First Known Use

Noun

1977, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1958, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing noir

• beurre noir
• film noir
• pinot noir

Rhymes for noir

• moire
• boudoir