1
as in stories
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
Relevance
2
as in tales
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 narratives
Currently in post-production, the film combines Cambodian cultural narratives with English-language accessibility.
—
Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 14 May 2026
Clark has pioneered new techniques in hybrid filmmaking—merging traditional production with GenAI tools—while also creating some of the most advanced fully generative narratives to date.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 14 May 2026
China has looked to redefine its global brand in an effort to boost tourism and combat negative narratives.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 14 May 2026
That’s why one of the laziest narratives in basketball has always been that the NBA, or NBA media, secretly wants more European stars because some of them are White.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 May 2026
Authors Ron Currie and David Heska Wanbli Weiden both return to their singular protagonists with narratives that deepen their legends by immersing readers in overlooked communities.
—Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
These are neat narratives — but governing isn’t kabuki theater, and demonizing job creators won’t help solve serious problems.
—James Katz, New York Daily News, 11 May 2026
This shift has produced a wave of designers whose work blends heritage with modernity — an appealing combination for global audiences seeking fresh narratives.
—Fmg Studios, Footwear News, 10 May 2026
Where negotiations stand Negotiations are ongoing, but the sides have been giving different narratives about how the talks are progressing.
—John Dias, CBS News, 9 May 2026
Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 14 May 2026
Clark has pioneered new techniques in hybrid filmmaking—merging traditional production with GenAI tools—while also creating some of the most advanced fully generative narratives to date.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 14 May 2026
China has looked to redefine its global brand in an effort to boost tourism and combat negative narratives.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 14 May 2026
That’s why one of the laziest narratives in basketball has always been that the NBA, or NBA media, secretly wants more European stars because some of them are White.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 May 2026
Authors Ron Currie and David Heska Wanbli Weiden both return to their singular protagonists with narratives that deepen their legends by immersing readers in overlooked communities.
—Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
These are neat narratives — but governing isn’t kabuki theater, and demonizing job creators won’t help solve serious problems.
—James Katz, New York Daily News, 11 May 2026
This shift has produced a wave of designers whose work blends heritage with modernity — an appealing combination for global audiences seeking fresh narratives.
—Fmg Studios, Footwear News, 10 May 2026
Where negotiations stand Negotiations are ongoing, but the sides have been giving different narratives about how the talks are progressing.
—John Dias, CBS News, 9 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for narratives
Noun
-
Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.—
Data Skrive,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
Superhero stories are copaganda; sitcoms sell middle-class norms.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Because either McCluskie is one heck of a con man who rolled both Becerra and Williamson, making both believe what was happening was kosher with entirely different tales, or someone isn’t being entirely honest.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
-
But even Black athletes whose athleticism gifted them an extremely exclusive express lane in life can tell you stories about growing up a minority in America, or tales their parents or grandparents have told.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Plaintiff attorneys have built similar tools capable of producing polished demand letters, medical chronologies, and settlement ranges using massive legal datasets.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The Southern Sinagua people, hardy folk who lived in the area from about 1150 to around 1400, drew them to mark major happenings in their world, keep chronologies of celestial events or map out favorite Verde River hotspots.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
23 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
This pair of novellas is about a middle-aged woman, the heroine’s sister, who comes to Tokyo intent on obtaining breast implants and a protagonist contemplating artificial insemination in a culture that doubts the procedure’s morality.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Apr. 2026
-
House of the Dragon premieres its third season this summer ahead of a fourth and likely final season in 2028, while A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, based on Martin's Tales of Dunk & Egg novellas, is in production on season 2 for release in 2027.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Professional commentators tended to see these developments in so many local terms—turning, for their explanations, to national histories, cultures and institutions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
Sombreness has seldom looked more suave or felt more disciplined; the storytelling is astounding in its concision, sometimes to a fault, as the characters’ rich personal histories are elided.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Rather than leave existing clients in the lurch, Lee allowed IDW to essentially inherit those accounts, allowing the fledgling business to become profitable within its first year of operation.—
Josh Weiss,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
The report also found that there were conflicting accounts of what happened on the day of the girl's surgery.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Text messages in court records show a brief and ambiguous exchange between McCluskie and Williamson that backs that up.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
-
All three games in the series were tightly contested in a matchup between the two teams with the best records in the National League.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Both versions of soaked chia seeds are good sources of fiber, but chia seeds in milk have more nutrients.—
Amber J. Tresca,
Verywell Health,
16 May 2026
-
Swapping in travel-size versions or better yet, pouring your go-tos into small reusable bottles, frees up a surprising amount of space and weight.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Narratives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/narratives. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
