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 But after losing four of the final five games, the narrative soon changed from a gritty Yellow Jackets team with attainable playoff hopes to a middle-ground Atlantic Coast Conference squad with a Pop-Tarts Bowl ceiling. CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026 The festival, now a key stop on the Oscar circuit, will present a wide-ranging selection of 37 feature narratives and 26 feature documentaries, including nine world premieres. Brent Lang, IndieWire, 16 Sep. 2026 The Kremlin is tightly managing the election, seeking to reinforce its narrative of widespread support for the war and provide a veneer of legitimacy for its actions. ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026 In August 2015, the Air Force Office of Special Investigation reopened the case, according to the fact narrative document. Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for narrative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for narrative
Noun
  • Whether Arnault can leverage his track record across multiple international brands to help reverse Nike's fortunes while cementing his position within the Arnault family's succession landscape remains a story that will unfold soon.
    , CNBC, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Bible readers may wonder how this fit with Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac at God’s command, and philosophers have occasionally tried to reconcile the two stories with textual twists.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The Zoe reveal is a neat wrinkle in the tale, one that John admits to wondering about without being sure.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
  • These factors, including varying breeds, make the old wives tale of multiplying a dog's age by seven inaccurate.
    Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The Lucas Museum pushes that approach further by making storytelling — not chronology, geography or medium — the organizing principle for an entire institution, placing illustration, comics and commercial art inside a curatorial framework.
    Jane Horowitz, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • One of the best actors working today, Coon essentially plays two different sides of Rita with astonishing range across these chronologies, portraying the past and the present of her character through distinctive markers.
    Tomris Laffly, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The company is working on a feature adaptation of Pulitzer Prize finalist Torrey Peters’ novella Stag Dance and a feature romantic comedy from Carly Usdin and Brittani Nichols featuring WNBA players Gabby Williams, Theresa Plaisance, and Syd Colson.
    Peter White, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Deep in the Pyrenees mountains, a young man, Miquel, struggles in the wake of his mother’s death in a snowstorm — a tragic event that was at the center of Tóibín’s 2006 novella, A Long Winter.
    Mary Lawrence Ware, semafor.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Members of the club’s in-house commentary team embraced fans in front of them; manager David Moyes punched the air.
    Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Magnus had almost entirely eradicated the type of commentary that divided fans along political and racial lines.
    Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Djeneba N'Diaye also had 19 points for Mali, which is now 2-10 in its World Cup history.
    ABC News, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The Boot Bowl rivalry, which began in 2012, doesn’t have the longest history, but for fans in Burleson, few events bring the town together quite like it.
    Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The club’s 2025-26 accounts, due to be approved by members on September 19, but already obtained by The Athletic, add another chapter to the canon.
    Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • On Friday, hours ahead of its college football game against Missouri in Lawrence, the Kansas Football social account released a hype video using Civil War imagery.
    Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 11 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • All those training camp practice reports are last month’s news.
    Zach Berman, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Bridgespan’s report finds that families in middle-income countries are more likely to administer their own programs than those in higher-income countries.
    Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Narrative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/narrative. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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