theme

1 a major object of interest or concern (as in a discussion or artistic composition) this dance piece deals with the timeless themes of birth and death Synonyms of theme content, motif, motive, question, subject, matter, topicWords Related to theme subject matter; talking point; count, idea, point, purpose; consideration, issue, problem; body, bulk, burden, centerpiece, core, crux, essence, fundamental, generality, gist, grist, heart, kernel, keynote, main, marrow, mass, net, nub, nubbin, nucleus, pith, pivot, purport, quick, staple, substance, sum; basis; bottom, essential, essentiality; affair, argument, debateNear Antonyms of theme aside, digression, excursion, interjection, parenthesis, tangent

2 a short piece of writing done as a school exercise please write a one page theme on the main character of this book Synonyms of theme paper, compositionWords Related to theme article, essay, story

3 a short piece of writing typically expressing a point of view the magazine will award a scholarship to the student who writes the best theme on the concept of personal freedom Synonyms of theme article, composition, paper, essayWords Related to theme causerie; column, commentary, editorial, feature, report, review, write-up; dissertation, thesis; tract, treatise; discourse, discussion, exposition, prolegomenon, study