as in stories
the unfolding of events in a dramatic or literary work
the story line is clumsily interrupted several times to provide some much-needed background information
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of story lines
With a dark animation style and sophomoric sense of humor, once the depressed cop jokes play out, there is little in the way of characters, story lines, or action sequences that keep the show all that interesting.
—
Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
Through interviews with almost 30 immigrants navigating the H-1B system, the team learned of the real impact of policy changes and incorporated them into game story lines.
—Ko Lyn Cheang, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Mar. 2026
In a political thriller with intertwining story lines, the A-lister stars as a veteran CIA agent who uncovers an assassination plot in the Middle East.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
The frenzy is being driven by a large local alumni base and riveting story lines like Indiana’s Heisman trophy-winning quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, returning home to play in South Florida, where his Cuban heritage has been engaging new audiences.
—Anna J. Kaiser, Fortune, 16 Jan. 2026
Sesame Street has also evolved over the years with new characters and story lines that reflect the changing times, including social-emotional learning and mental health.
—Sari Hitchins, Parents, 15 Jan. 2026
That battle in the trenches stands among the most intriguing story lines of the first-round playoff game.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 12 Dec. 2025
The dizzying pace and overlapping story lines add to the show’s real-time immersiveness.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2025
Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
Through interviews with almost 30 immigrants navigating the H-1B system, the team learned of the real impact of policy changes and incorporated them into game story lines.
—Ko Lyn Cheang, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Mar. 2026
In a political thriller with intertwining story lines, the A-lister stars as a veteran CIA agent who uncovers an assassination plot in the Middle East.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
The frenzy is being driven by a large local alumni base and riveting story lines like Indiana’s Heisman trophy-winning quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, returning home to play in South Florida, where his Cuban heritage has been engaging new audiences.
—Anna J. Kaiser, Fortune, 16 Jan. 2026
Sesame Street has also evolved over the years with new characters and story lines that reflect the changing times, including social-emotional learning and mental health.
—Sari Hitchins, Parents, 15 Jan. 2026
That battle in the trenches stands among the most intriguing story lines of the first-round playoff game.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 12 Dec. 2025
The dizzying pace and overlapping story lines add to the show’s real-time immersiveness.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for story lines
Noun
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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,
21 Mar. 2026
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That combination — genuine suffering refracted through dark humor, hardship worn lightly — is exactly what American audiences are finding so alluring in Korean stories right now.—
Dan Bilefsky,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
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For more than six decades, communist Cuba thwarted every destabilizing measure Washington aimed its way — assassination plots, a trade embargo, sabotage, travel bans and, most notoriously, the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961, when Fidel Castro’s revolution was still young and the Cold War raging.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
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Gavin is a true leader, guiding a group of high school technicians through tasks such as hanging light plots, patching, and programming the light board.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Democrats in Congress have also sought to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, accusing her of directing Immigration and Customs Enforcement to violate the public's constitutional rights in its enforcement actions.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
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Other actions include disposing of trash properly to avoid habitat degradation and ingestion by manatees, and reporting injured, orphaned, or dead manatees to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at (888) 404-3922.—
Elizabeth Neville,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Story lines.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/story%20lines. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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