storyline

noun

sto·​ry·​line ˈstȯr-ē-ˌlīn 

variants or less commonly story line

plural storylines also story lines

1

: a plotline of a story, drama, or game

HBO's Insecure has been an exquisite platform of compelling, nuanced, mature storylines for Black TV comedy during its run.

—Matthew Allen

Pointless, menial objectives in a game distract from the main storyline and dilute the impact of more fun, engrossing missions.

—Teddy Amenabar

The two story lines, each with its own compelling view of love, coalesce in a dramatic and surprising ending.

—Martha Toll

also : story sense 1a

I've long wondered how the brain fits such unexpected sounds so smoothly and adroitly into dreams. The suggestion that the brain always brings phenomena to awareness a split second after they actually occur—in order to construct a plausible storyline for their appearance—offers a possible answer.

—Robert Levy

2

: a matter of particular importance, concern, or interest to an audience

—used especially in sports

The main storyline for the Timberwolves is the addition of three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.

—Tyler Schmidt

The fact Ovechkin has brought the impossible record within reach changes the way you watch the game. … Because Gretzky's goal total is the ultimate individual record in the sport, the chase trumps every other storyline surrounding this team from now until Ovechkin gets there.

—J. J. Regan

often : one that is evolving or developing

The offensive line is a major storyline to watch throughout training camp and the preseason, especially considering there's a new quarterback under center for the fifth consecutive season.

—Kevin Hickey

Synonyms

• story
• plot
• action

Examples of storyline in a Sentence

the story line is clumsily interrupted several times to provide some much-needed background information

Recent Examples on the Web

Enyedi shifts between the three storylines at will, sometimes spending several minutes in one only to cut to another for a few seconds and then over to the third. —Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025

That was a big storyline heading into Friday night. —Jesse Newell, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025

Known for its sexy, subversive storylines and dialogue, the movie was a standout among the teen comedies and dramas of the '90s, many of which were based on literary works. —Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025

Three storylines for Chiefs-Chargers 1. —Scott Chasen, Kansas City Star, 5 Sep. 2025

That disconnect between a real, cool phenomenon and a too-good storyline is exactly why this one spreads so easily. —Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2025

Williams’ progress will be the biggest storyline going into the 2025 season. —Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025

No More Harkening back to the classic storyline which introduced the world to Kingpin, this new card features art from Aniekan Udofia extremely reminiscent of the panel in which Spider-Man abandons his costume. —Jennifer Maas, Variety, 4 Sep. 2025

Latto and Ice Spice have flipped the script on their own storyline. —Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 4 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for storyline

• acridine
• alkaline
• andesine
• anodyne
• anticline
• arginine
• asinine
• atropine
• benzidine
• borderline
• byzantine
• calamine