Definition of narrativenext
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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 The Russian security service’s Meliorator tool has been used to create over a thousand profiles of fictitious Americans, primarily on X (formerly Twitter), to spread Kremlin narratives at a fraction of the cost of human troll farms. — Seva Gunitsky, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2026 That some narrative moves are obvious, some unconvincing and some just extraneous does not get in the way of a good time. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026 Yet the melodrama of the Trask men—and the misfortune of the women who come into their lives—has seldom been brought to the screen, most likely because of the challenges posed by the saga’s narrative sprawl. — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2026 Born and raised in the Echo Park area of Los Angeles, Duplan grew up around music culture, weaving it into his own narrative. — William Jones, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for narrative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for narrative
Noun
  • There was a period where airspace was closed in the Gulf after the Iran conflict began, and then questions about whether the region’s growth story would be interrupted.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • In the end, creation stories feels a bit like an internal pep talk for which an audience didn’t necessarily need to be present.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The play is a gently unfolding, calmly delivered tale of the decades of horrors endured by a real-life person named Eddie Jaku.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • And for Netflix, Bayona helmed Society of the Snow, a drama based on the true-life tale of the Uruguayan 1972 Andes flight disaster.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • By resisting the siloing of art by geography and chronology, the rehang interrogated the style and substance of European modernism, as well as the ways later generations of artists reclaimed those histories.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Sam Levy’s editing likewise darts associatively between these moods, seemingly letting sense memory shape the chronology of proceedings.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • As for the sitting president, he’s named just once, in the opening line of the titular novella.
    — Ryan Chapman, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • In the years preceding his 2003 indictment for making false immigration claims, Jamal became an outspoken advocate whom local media began to heavily rely on to provide Somali-specific or Muslim-centric commentary.
    — Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026
  • However, tracking the trends in the report helps in our understanding of the economic backdrop in which our companies are operating, along with official government data and companies’ results and commentary.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Brower and her partner, Aspen Simone, dug into books about pigeon behavior and their history with humans.
    — KYLE MELNICK THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The uncertainty lay in how to care for themselves, honor that history and make space for a future.
    — Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 4 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • To pay for this labor, inmates claim that individuals outside of prison are depositing thousands of dollars into the commissary accounts of those serving the rapper.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Those addresses can help with account sign-ups and management.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • An April 2025 legionella report obtained by The Sacramento Bee shows the bacteria was found in at least 17 samples, including those taken from the men’s locker room, a women’s bathroom and several janitor closets.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Months later, a report found the state hadn't complied with its own lethal injection process since its revision in 2018, resulting in executions being conducted without proper testing of the drugs.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

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

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