documentary 1 of 2

noun

Definition of documentarynext
as in docudrama

Related Words

Relevance

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
It is supposed to almost feel improvised and documentary-like. — Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2026 Her lawyers argued that the government’s documentary evidence did not deteriorate with time, while the defense depended heavily on witnesses’ memories. — Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich has become a force in the documentary space. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2026 Our waiter, Juan, was – as all servers at Papi Steak are – quick to illuminate the kaleidoscopic dish with a pocket flashlight, apparently for documentary purposes. — Connie Ogle july 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 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
  • Still, there’s no way to know if this docudrama will actually reveal what happened between the two women or if Earle will want to keep that close to her vest.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 30 July 2026
  • Out of Time with Tom Hiddleston, a three-part docudrama hosted by the Loki star that will premiere July 22 on the network at 9/8c and July 23 on Disney+ and Hulu.
    — Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 16 June 2026
Definition of docudrama
Adjective
  • The beauty lies in part to its gothic Ford Complex — funded by Henry Ford and his wife — and the many historical buildings that wound up earning it a place on the National Register of Historic Places.
    — Carson Bonner, AJC.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • After all, household debt balances are elevated, borrowing costs are still expensive by historical standards and inflation is driving up the costs of just about everything, adding pressure to borrowers' budgets.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of historical
Noun
  • Already great features that had been added earlier include the Yacht Club, an observation room with big windows and coffee bar, the perfect place to curl up with a latte and views.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Further testing will determine how effectively the UUV can translate those features into operational missions.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of feature
Adjective
  • The lawsuits involve separate banks, account agreements and factual allegations.
    — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • In January, the bank asked the judge to throw out Arbuckle’s claims, arguing that evidence exchanged by both sides showed no key factual disputes requiring a jury to resolve.
    — Chase Jordan July 30, Charlotte Observer, 30 July 2026
Definition of factual
Noun
  • Under Binface’s black cape, trash can and ample body armor that looks straight out of a low-budget sci-fi film, is a middle-aged comedian named Jon Harvey trying to keep his cool during a sweaty summer.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • As time passes and questions remain unanswered, the film shows how grief connects, relationships change, and new perspectives emerge.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of film
Adjective
  • 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
  • Pee-Wee as Himself, the 2025 Emmy award winner for best documentary or nonfictional special, is also among the nominees.
    — Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
Definition of nonfictional
Noun
  • Additional bonus features include a behind-the-scenes featurette on the making of the film.
    — Mike Snider, USA Today, 14 July 2026
  • The featurette teases Zada as Haymitch, with scenes ranging from the literal sunrise on his Reaping Day to Capitol interviews to the Games itself.
    — Mya Copeland, Variety, 4 July 2026
Definition of featurette
Adjective
  • Smoke and its literal chokehold on air quality continue to be the most widespread impact of the ongoing fires.
    — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The film takes cannibalism – rarely broached in Malaysian popular cinema – as both literal premise and social metaphor, training its lens on characters pushed to extremes by poverty and ambition.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of literal

Browse Nearby Words

documentaries
documentary
documentation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Documentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/documentary. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on documentary

Nglish: Translation of documentary for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about documentary

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of vacuous

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All