variants
also dénouement
as in finale
formal
the final part of something (such as a book, a play, or a series of events)
In the play's denouement, the two lovers kill themselves. the competition's exciting denouement
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of denouement
The series begins in 1933 when Gies takes a job working for Frank and follows her through the outbreak of the war, the ordeal of occupation and the melancholy denouement that sees Otto emerge as the lone survivor from the attic.
—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
24 Apr. 2026
How did the virulent nationalism and fraught politics of France’s interwar period—no less racked by crisis than its nuclear-era dénouement—inform the artist’s approach to figure and form?
—
Ara H. Merjian,
ARTnews.com,
16 Apr. 2026
For a decade, viewers have cringed at Amanda Batula and Kyle Cooke’s rocky relationship, the dénouement of which is currently playing out on season ten of Summer House.
—
Rebecca Jennings,
Vulture,
1 Apr. 2026
The denouement of the musical bears down, allowing both Barfee and Olive to bring the piece home, and where some of the show’s best music lives.
—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for denouement
David Faris,
TheWeek,
24 Apr. 2026
How did the virulent nationalism and fraught politics of France’s interwar period—no less racked by crisis than its nuclear-era dénouement—inform the artist’s approach to figure and form?
—
Ara H. Merjian,
ARTnews.com,
16 Apr. 2026
For a decade, viewers have cringed at Amanda Batula and Kyle Cooke’s rocky relationship, the dénouement of which is currently playing out on season ten of Summer House.
—
Rebecca Jennings,
Vulture,
1 Apr. 2026
The denouement of the musical bears down, allowing both Barfee and Olive to bring the piece home, and where some of the show’s best music lives.
—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for denouement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for denouement
Noun
-
The finale, which aired on Sunday, June 28, ended with a bang.
-
In the final minutes of the finale, Ebraheim calls Albert with the news that the franchising has begun.
Noun
-
But this Powerball story has a sad ending.
-
The crowd of 42,056 was poised for another wacky Cubs-Brewers ending, though most of those who stuck around seemed to be road-tripping Cubs fans.
Noun
-
Additional findings could change investigators' conclusions.
-
The sequence in which Carmy tries to talk Richie down from a panic attack feels equally dynamic and alive right to its conclusion — when Carmy pretends they’ve gotten locked in, just as Carmy once was, to mess with Richie’s head.
Noun
-
David Frankel, who directed the 2006 film, and Aline Brosh McKenna, who wrote the original screenplay, returned for the sequel along with producer Wendy Finerman.
-
The sequel was directed by David Frankel, written by Aline Brosh McKenna, produced by Wendy Finerman and executive produced by Michael Bederman, Karen Rosenfelt, and Aline Brosh McKenna.
Noun
-
The criminal case comes as the victims’ families pursue a separate lawsuit filed in December and amended in April, alleging the crash and its aftermath were marked by a series of preventable failures.
-
Scenes involving firearms alarmed distributors still grappling with the aftermath of the Columbine massacre, while the film’s October release via Newmarket was further complicated by a trailer prominently featuring an airplane crash just weeks after the September 11 attacks.
Cite this Entry
“Denouement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/denouement. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
