1
as in story
a relating of events usually in the order in which they happened
wrote a witty, chatty narrative of all the happenings at the party
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of narrative
And such coverage comes at a cost: according to Africa No Filter, a media advocacy organization, the continent could be losing up to $4.2 billion annually because of stereotypical narratives.
—
Zain Verjee, semafor.com, 7 July 2025
While information about what happened trickled out slowly at first, reviewing the detective's narrative of the investigation revealed how the shooter had engaged in a pattern of abuse that culminated in him entering the house party on Ridgecrest Drive and shooting at those inside.
—Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 7 July 2025
Regardless of his intention, the ways Kennedy speaks about autism seem to miss how, for many, the prevailing narrative has moved on to more human framing, in which autism is not a disease or a tragedy but a difference meriting acceptance and support.
—Caren Zucker, The Atlantic, 6 July 2025
Williams, a professor of African American literature and graduate school dean at Howard University, has crafted a book that manages to satisfy as narrative, literary analysis and cultural criticism, offering multiple points of entry for different readers in search of different things.
—John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for narrative
Zain Verjee, semafor.com, 7 July 2025
While information about what happened trickled out slowly at first, reviewing the detective's narrative of the investigation revealed how the shooter had engaged in a pattern of abuse that culminated in him entering the house party on Ridgecrest Drive and shooting at those inside.
—Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 7 July 2025
Regardless of his intention, the ways Kennedy speaks about autism seem to miss how, for many, the prevailing narrative has moved on to more human framing, in which autism is not a disease or a tragedy but a difference meriting acceptance and support.
—Caren Zucker, The Atlantic, 6 July 2025
Williams, a professor of African American literature and graduate school dean at Howard University, has crafted a book that manages to satisfy as narrative, literary analysis and cultural criticism, offering multiple points of entry for different readers in search of different things.
—John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for narrative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for narrative
Noun
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For beautiful views of the Tennessee River and Wilson Dam, head to this greenspace with a scenic 1.3-mile trail along the waterfront with interpretive displays sharing stories about Florence’s history.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
5 July 2025
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Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.—
Nicholas Rice,
People.com,
5 July 2025
Noun
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Both Van Poppel and Taylor, who injured his shoulder in a bar fight in 1993 and never reached the major leagues, are cautionary tales on the dangers of taking a high school pitcher in the first round.—
Melissa Lockard,
New York Times,
7 July 2025
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Sula by Toni Morrison Toni Morrison’s suite of stunning historical novels includes Beloved, A Mercy, and this 1973 tale of a friendship between Sula Peace and Nel Wright.—
Mia Barzilay Freund,
Vogue,
7 July 2025
Noun
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Brennan focused more on analyzing evidence than on showing the chronology of events when questioning witnesses, as did the lead prosecutor in Read’s first trial.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
16 June 2025
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Here’s a chronology of some of the events that have rocked the company in the past six months.—
John Dorfman,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
Noun
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These are the stories that make up Room on the Sea, a trio of novellas from the Call Me by Your Name author, André Aciman.—
airmail.news,
airmail.news,
5 July 2025
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Originally assigned to George Lucas and working from a script by John Milius, the project was loosely based on Joseph Conrad’s novella Heart of Darkness.—
Armond White,
National Review,
4 July 2025
Noun
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Last weekend’s 4-3 loss to the Houston Dynamo at Snapdragon Stadium may go down as the first gut-punch in franchise history.—
Ryan Finley,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 July 2025
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With the spotlight fixed on MSG and history already being made by the very nature of the event, everyone who steps through the ropes should be looking to make a statement.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Noun
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And Singapore just passed an anti-scam law that allows law enforcement to freeze the bank accounts of scam victims.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
14 July 2025
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The posts originally appeared on the account, with almost 650,000 followers, on Sunday, and were removed later in the day.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
14 July 2025
Noun
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With narration by Maya Hawke over footage culled from hundreds of sources from TV commercials to blockbuster films, the doc by Alex Ross Perry is the story of an industry’s glorious, confusing, novel, sometimes seedy, but undeniably seismic impact on American movie culture.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
3 July 2025
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The key to a Whelan narration is close collaboration.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
30 June 2025
Noun
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The man who allegedly killed 18-year-old Morgan Hill resident Marissa DiNapoli has been charged with murder as new details emerge about the case, according to Santa Clara County court records.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
11 July 2025
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In June, billionaire and Guggenheim Partners CEO Mark Walter bought a majority stake in the Los Angeles Lakers at a record $10 billion valuation.—
Hayley Cuccinello,
CNBC,
10 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Narrative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/narrative. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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