Definition of narrativenext
1
2
as in tale
a work with imaginary characters and events that is shorter and usually less complex than a novel in such narratives as "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" and "The Purloined Letter," Edgar Allan Poe essentially created the modern detective story

Synonyms & Similar 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 narrative Despite a compelling final act, the overall experience is deemed middling, failing to fully immerse players in its historical narrative. Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 But some of the most poignant narratives come from Trojan women like Creusa, wife of Aeneas who escapes Troy and becomes a founding father for Rome, and Hector’s wife, Andromache, who is taken as a war captive by Achilles’s son. Literary Hub, 17 July 2026 Unlike Starmer, Burnham has a clear narrative – devolving power away from London – running through his policies. Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 17 July 2026 Police quickly connected them to his ex-fiancée and began investigating her, with a media narrative painting her as a woman scorned and willing to do anything to ruin his life. K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for narrative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for narrative
Noun
  • Associated Press writers Pan Pylas and Jill Lawless contributed to this story.
    ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
  • Especially since there are so many stories already inside the game with the campaign aspect.
    Jennifer Maas, Variety, 18 July 2026
Noun
  • There’s a house on the property where Francis Ford Coppola filmed Vito Corleone avenging his mother’s death in The Godfather Part II, but Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana were interested in a much older tale about Sicily—one of gods and mortals.
    Nicole Phelps, Vogue, 14 July 2026
  • This underdog tale — a popular trope in musical theater — offers many moving moments, though several feel cloying.
    Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026
Noun
  • But often—thanks to the patience and skill of an editor who has figured out a chronology—along comes the answer.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026
  • He is credited as the first and most significant contributor to South Florida archaeology of the time, classifying materials, recording 49 sites across Miami-Dade and making the first outline of a chronology of indigenous habitation.
    Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • Advertisement Margaret Atwood also found a new framing for The Odyssey in her 2005 novella The Penelopiad.
    Eliana Dockterman, Time, 17 July 2026
  • The whole gang is back, ready to play their parts in this never-ending novella.
    Candace Buckner, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Noun
  • The platform has featured traditional adverts for bets, but CazéTV’s commentators have also promoted betting during the games, blending advertising with commentary of the action on the pitch.
    ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
  • At once pugnaciously combative and unreservedly sentimental, Landon chose to take the series out with a commentary on class revolt.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 July 2026
Noun
  • Shinto was formally separated from the state after World War II, but its traditions still reflect a broader history of religious and cultural influences.
    ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
  • The Jules Rimet Trophy — named after the former FIFA president following his death in 1956 — had an astonishing history.
    Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 19 July 2026
Noun
  • The ride service may contact parents and guardians of riders with teen accounts as well.
    Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
  • That is also where the design's costs sit, and an honest account keeps them in view.
    Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
Noun
  • Times staff writers Seema Mehta and Phil Willon contributed to this report.
    Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • The report argues that the museum has deemphasized America’s founding, noting the absence of major exhibits devoted to the Founding Fathers or key events of the American Revolution as the country marks its 250th anniversary.
    Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 6 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Narrative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/narrative. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on narrative

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