documentary 1 of 2

noun

Definition of documentarynext
as in docudrama

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documentary

2 of 2

adjective

ˌdä-kyə-ˈmen-tə-rē How to pronounce documentary (audio)
as in historical
restricted to or based on fact a documentary film about the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 documentary
Noun
Meanwhile, Cooper is in Palm Springs, ducking the Better Business Bureau and reluctantly participating in his daughter’s documentary about his upbringing. — Ryan Chapman, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026 Leading the jury selecting the winner of the Grierson Award for the documentary competition is British-Indian writer Sandhya Suri, whose narrative fiction debut Santosh was shortlisted for the Oscars and won the BIFA for best screenplay. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026
Adjective
This year, the section will feature 32 projects, including 17 short films, seven feature films, five documentary short films and three student short films. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 23 Sep. 2026 For a documentary project on the shark fishing industry, Australian filmmaker Madison Stewart traveled to Indonesia. — Juliet Kinsman, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for documentary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for documentary
  1. docudrama
  2. historical
  3. feature
  4. factual
  5. film
  6. nonfictional
  7. featurette
  8. literal
Noun
  • The audience gave a festival-best 22-minute standing ovation to the ticking-clock docudrama about efforts to save a 5-year-old Palestinian girl killed by the IDF.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Either way, the age of the football docudrama looks here to stay.
    — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of docudrama
Adjective
  • But the work’s critics also appeal to its past; actual encounter is informed by historical circumstances, which means looking back.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The bill would have directed state agencies to recognize historical inequities affecting tribes, and to consult with them on water projects, plans and policies.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of historical
Noun
  • Asian cinema accounts for 96 films, women directed 41, and 20 are official entries for the international feature category at the 99th Academy Awards.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Oct. 2026
  • After living in the City of Lights for more than a decade, the designer said he was drawn to its features, which informed his palette that runs from sky blues to Seine greens, via tones inspired by its typical stone buildings.
    — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of feature
Adjective
  • In 1988, Rantzen won BAFTA’s Richard Dimbleby Award for factual programming.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2026
  • There is no factual evidence that this psychological and economic slaughter of Amadeus by Salieri is substantiated by truth.
    — Doni Wilson, Houston Chronicle, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of factual
Noun
  • Every action is decisive and cannot be reversed, just as the film runs ever forward through the projector.
    — Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • For us at Palari Films, this film isn’t just about a filmmaker’s return after 15 years.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of film
Adjective
  • In a world where true-crime shows of both the fictional and nonfictional variety run rampant on our screens, that’s probably not a bad corporate strategy.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
  • This is what gives the film its experiential sincerity — the lived perspective of its Ukrainian crew leaving a nonfictional trace across every level of the fiction, something Stever handles with unusual reverence.
    — Sonya Vseliubska, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of nonfictional
Noun
  • The showings will also be accompanied by a new featurette with director James McTeigue, who reflects on the enduring mythology of V and why the film’s ideas of freedom and resistance still resonate today.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Cruise, never shy about the affiliation, climbed the Paramount water tower for the studio’s CinemaCon 2025 presentation featurette.
    — Jack Dunn, Variety, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of featurette
Adjective
  • And in some sense, that’s a literal picture of a four-dimensional space.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 1 Oct. 2026
  • WallPops Scalamandré Leaping Cheetah Peel and Stick Wallpaper Animal print is reigning in fashion again, and this wallpaper has taken a literal approach when translating the trend to interiors.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of literal

Browse Nearby Words

documentaries
documentary
documentation
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Cite this Entry

“Documentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/documentary. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on documentary

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about documentary

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