story lines

plural of story line
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 story lines These story lines add a sense of urgency and progress to a series that was a little too comfortable being amiably aimless. Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026 In the cold open of the first-season finale, the characters go through their backlog of snail mail, rushing through a series of updates on the show’s lingering story lines in imitation of a clip-show episode. Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026 Whenever next season begins (if there is a season), a Cannarella-Marsee center field battle should be one of the most fascinating story lines. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026 Dwayne Hickman starred as the titular character Dobie Gillis, the lovestruck teenager whose quest for romance drove the show’s story lines. Sophie Clausen, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026 From there, readers can dive into all sorts of comics from Marvel history, from original Fantastic Four and Spider-Man comics from the '60s to more recent titles and event crossovers that were the basis for MCU story lines. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 July 2026 The series combines potty-mouthed put-downs with more sentimental story lines. Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026 There were plenty of compelling story lines taking shape as the sun began to dip on the legendary course. Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026 Because the casting and story lines that developed gave us people to root for and against—something every great Survivor season needs. Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for story lines
Noun
  • As a dad of two daughters, Murdy said he’s made a conscious effort to create strong female-centric original stories like KILLceañera for Horror Nights.
    Eve Chen, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The current building code typically allows a single staircase for residential buildings with three stories or less.
    Brian J. Rogal, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Other rules, such as removing shoes and the 3-1-1 liquids policy, were implemented in response to later, separate terrorist plots.
    Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Food plots are great, agricultural crops are good too, but during the right window in mid-fall, nothing draws in deer like acorns.
    Colin Moore, Outdoor Life, 2 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Israel, which isn’t a party in the proceedings, strongly denies that its actions amount to acts of genocide.
    ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Characters disappear, or have their attributes and actions assigned to different characters.
    Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Story lines.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/story%20lines. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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