1
as in topic
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 & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in article
a short piece of writing done as a school exercise
please write a one page theme on the main character of this book
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in essay
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 & 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 theme
Like many horror aficionados, for me the theme to Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake is forever linked with Tod Browning’s Dracula, released by Universal in 1931.
—
Robert Eggers, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025
Their son’s baby shower theme revolved around stars, and his mother-in-law gifted the couple a crystal star, which was placed in a kitchen window.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
Running from deep became a common theme, as did dropping deep purely as a decoy to create room for others.
—Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
There’s a theme of solitude that stretches across the record.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for theme
Robert Eggers, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025
Their son’s baby shower theme revolved around stars, and his mother-in-law gifted the couple a crystal star, which was placed in a kitchen window.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
Running from deep became a common theme, as did dropping deep purely as a decoy to create room for others.
—Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
There’s a theme of solitude that stretches across the record.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for theme
Recent Examples of Synonyms for theme
Noun
-
Back in August, OpenAI published an update to ChatGPT with stronger controls on the bot’s responses to certain conversational topics amid mounting concern that some users are building harmful emotional attachments to chatbots.—
Jack Guy,
CNN Money,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Return expectations are a hot topic for shoppers.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In her article, Jane reminds us that meat consumption is responsible for animal suffering and environmental degradation.—
Lisa Wade,
Mercury News,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Incorporating elements of the female figure in abstraction, Miró originally envisioned this piece as a small, table top sized figurine and not the massive bronze sculpture it would be come, according to an article by Christie’s.—
Sophia Arndt,
Twin Cities,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Harmony Holiday’s elegy/essay for D’Angelo is a stunning piece of writing.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
17 Oct. 2025
-
And when, a younger generation comes up that has spent their school years using AI to help with their studying and help write their college essays or whatever, are those folks going to be much more comfortable with this kind of thing?—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The Jasper runner model got a rose pink or mountain green colorway update, and is adorned with suede patchwork pegasus motifs and ponytail-like fringe details at the back, a nod to the upcoming year of the horse in the Chinese lunar calendar.—
Denni Hu,
Footwear News,
17 Oct. 2025
-
By likening the world to a stage and seeing ourselves as the actors living on it, this meta motif — while classical in concept — resonates strongly as a universal theme for those of us living today.—
Billboard Japan,
Billboard,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Tim Skipper holds a paper sheet on his person at all times while talking shop, calling plays on the sidelines.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
19 Oct. 2025
-
The fixer waved a sheet of paper.—
Sam Lipsyte,
New Yorker,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
How self-reflection operates matters because it will always be needed to make wiser choices about our toughest challenges.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Investors, who ultimately approved the measure, were asked to vote on the matter a second time at Tesla’s annual shareholders meeting to demonstrate their backing for the plan.—
Kara Carlson,
Fortune,
17 Oct. 2025
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,
14 Oct. 2025
-
This is a developing story and will be updated.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Any question which of those teams has a stout and sturdy offensive line?—
Mirjam Swanson,
Oc Register,
20 Oct. 2025
-
With the season’s opening stanza in the books, here’s a look at what’s been learned about the Broncos so far, what questions remain unanswered and what’s ahead.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
19 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Theme.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/theme. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share