subplot

noun

sub·​plot ˈsəb-ˌplät How to pronounce subplot (audio)
Synonyms of subplotnext
1
: a subordinate plot in fiction or drama
2
: a subdivision of an experimental plot of land

Examples of subplot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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There are two teenage boys in the film, Haruki (Waku Kawaguchi) and Keita (Kiyora Fuiwara), whose inchoate erotic feelings for one another, a love that can still barely say its name in provincial Japan, forms a subplot here. Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026 An underdeveloped subplot sees Temir befriend Alika (Jaliyah Richards), a self-conscious Nigerian-American girl from his wrestling class, while a contrastingly fanciful one concerns Azik’s capturing of a likewise far-from-home pelican to cheer up the heavily pregnant and bone-weary Zalya. Guy Lodge, Variety, 13 May 2026 Fanger revealed that the sneaker subplot was loosely inspired by Henry Lawrence, the real-life son of Christa Miller (who also serves as music supervisor) and showrunner Bill Lawrence. Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 11 May 2026 But this is a kids’ movie, after all, and the brief romantic subplot is entirely chaste. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for subplot

Word History

First Known Use

1812, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of subplot was in 1812

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Subplot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subplot. Accessed 17 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

subplot

noun
sub·​plot ˈsəb-ˌplät How to pronounce subplot (audio)
: a subordinate plot in fiction or drama

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