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
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After you're done chowing down, make for the Santa Monica Pier, where Route 66 finally runs out of road, and the Pacific Ocean rolls in—a fittingly cinematic finale to this all-American adventure.—
Zoey Goto,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
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Dos Santos is continuing to recover from facial surgery, while Sisniega was forced to miss SDFC’s opener because of a red card he was assessed in last season’s playoff finale.—
Ryan Finley,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The family’s ice cream venture started in 2019 as a sweet ending to their educational farm tours, part of their efforts to advocate for Florida dairy.—
Skye Sherman,
Southern Living,
7 Mar. 2026
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In a signal of how much pressure there was to do right by the beloved fictional couple, four endings were written and filmed.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Armed with lanterns, loyalty, and very little logic, these unlikely heroes blunder their way to a happy conclusion for all.—
Cincinnati Enquirer,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Mar. 2026
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Per tradition, the Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball team’s six seniors will speak to the fans at the conclusion of Saturday’s regular-season finale at Allen Fieldhouse.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Even though the project had a finished script and a cast willing to return, the studio’s priorities shifted after the strike in a way that pushed the sequel aside.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
3 Mar. 2026
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The sequel doubles down on the original’s meta-ness.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In the aftermath of the 2007-09 Great Recession, Warsh — then a Fed governor — objected to some of the central bank’s efforts to help the struggling economy by pushing down rates even though unemployment exceeded 9%.—
Paul Wiseman,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Mar. 2026
-
In the aftermath, no comparable athlete organizing drives have surfaced, as player-employee advocates have shifted their focus away from federal regulators to the courts and lawmakers.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Denouement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/denouement. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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