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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of denouement
Instead, there’s a denouement of clarity, community, healing and hope.
—
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
While the film tends to feel its extended run time by the final act, the dénouement hits with a glorious gut-punch, ending on one last poem from Rimantas as Minde sits on the seashore-like driftwood.
—Courtney Howard, Variety, 30 Oct. 2025
To be sure, Grey’s novel is a literary protest against the mistreatment of American Indians by the federal government and Christian missionaries, and his original denouement is a little more complicated.
—Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
But then things suddenly get very serious when Zem and Salia wind up falling in love, leading to a tragic denouement at the hands of ALMA, followed by an obvious music cue that must have cost a fortune.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for denouement
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
While the film tends to feel its extended run time by the final act, the dénouement hits with a glorious gut-punch, ending on one last poem from Rimantas as Minde sits on the seashore-like driftwood.
—Courtney Howard, Variety, 30 Oct. 2025
To be sure, Grey’s novel is a literary protest against the mistreatment of American Indians by the federal government and Christian missionaries, and his original denouement is a little more complicated.
—Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
But then things suddenly get very serious when Zem and Salia wind up falling in love, leading to a tragic denouement at the hands of ALMA, followed by an obvious music cue that must have cost a fortune.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for denouement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for denouement
Noun
-
The teams meet Sunday in the series finale.—
Pioneer Press,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Joey Wiemer jumped on a 2-1 splitter below the zone for a three-run blast that put a quick damper on Imanaga’s strong spring finale.—
Andy Martinez,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell and his staff felt Shota Imanaga’s preparation in Arizona provided the perfect platform to bounce back from a rocky ending to 2025.—
Andy Martinez,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
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After the story ran, the Department of Transportation sent a crew uptown and patched it, plus a few more nearby, giving our story a happy ending and providing an unusually stark example of what simple accountability journalism can achieve.—
Brendan Ruberry,
semafor.com,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In forensic anthropology, this conclusion typically follows analysis of bone condition, degradation and other physical markers that help specialists estimate how long remains have been interred or stored.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Again, there were hints in the data but no definitive conclusions.—
Mariangela Lisanti,
Twin Cities,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But waves upon waves of sequels, reboots and remakes have made the few big-budget originals that manage to get made all the more singular.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Mar. 2026
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Jio Studios brought the first installment back to theaters March 12-13 across 500 screens worldwide in a rare international re-release ahead of the sequel’s bow.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Until the strikes stop and the aftermath becomes clearer, every analysis remains little more than an underinformed guess.—
Jason Rezaian,
New Yorker,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Footage and photos capture the aftermath of catastrophic flooding in Hawaii, deemed the worst in two decades.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Denouement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/denouement. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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