1
as in topics
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 articles
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 essays
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 themes
Many people speak of the timeliness of the themes of this show.
—
Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
The project is rooted in themes of loneliness, psychological control and the seductive pull of structure in an isolated life.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Apr. 2026
Her letters to her son Theo provide an emotional core, exploring themes of love, legacy, and the personal cost of war.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2026
The production contains mature themes and language.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Through the personal stories of activists and intense courtroom battles, host Brendan Patrick Hughes explores themes of faith, rebellion, and the complexities of confronting injustice, ultimately offering a compelling blueprint for modern activism.
—Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
This was one of the richest themes in the book for me.
—Literary Hub, 7 Apr. 2026
In addition to the themes Common Sense Media highlights, the Trigger Warning Database's list also includes potentially triggering events or themes, like drugging, avalanches, poverty and more.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
The stylistic decision aligns the song’s themes with Taylor’s legacy, drawing parallels between old Hollywood glamour and modern celebrity culture.
—Claire Dodds, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
The project is rooted in themes of loneliness, psychological control and the seductive pull of structure in an isolated life.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Apr. 2026
Her letters to her son Theo provide an emotional core, exploring themes of love, legacy, and the personal cost of war.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2026
The production contains mature themes and language.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Through the personal stories of activists and intense courtroom battles, host Brendan Patrick Hughes explores themes of faith, rebellion, and the complexities of confronting injustice, ultimately offering a compelling blueprint for modern activism.
—Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
This was one of the richest themes in the book for me.
—Literary Hub, 7 Apr. 2026
In addition to the themes Common Sense Media highlights, the Trigger Warning Database's list also includes potentially triggering events or themes, like drugging, avalanches, poverty and more.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
The stylistic decision aligns the song’s themes with Taylor’s legacy, drawing parallels between old Hollywood glamour and modern celebrity culture.
—Claire Dodds, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for themes
Noun
-
Support journalism that digs deeper into topics that matter most to Arkansans.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Participants were asked to rate interest in 10 topics, including sports, movies, artificial intelligence, music, books and fitness.—
Barbara Mantel,
NBC news,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the email, sent to Lucas, Lucas’ chief of staff, then-City Manager Brian Platt and a city spokesperson, Kozakiewicz included a copy of the audit, which reviewed 65 articles and opinion pieces published from June to November 2024.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In these essays, our columnists follow their curiosity, and explore important but not necessarily answerable scientific questions.—
Amanda Gefter,
Quanta Magazine,
10 Apr. 2026
-
If at first teachers worried about students using chatbots to write essays, now new agentic tools such as Claude Code are allowing students to outsource even more of their work to the machines.—
Lila Shroff,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Lemann, like the talkative older ladies of her youth, clutches the motifs of her past like talismans.—
Brandy Jensen,
New Yorker,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Its elegant style fits most bathroom motifs.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Avoid using countertops as drop zones for papers, electronics, or cleaning supplies to maintain order.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Some papers include detailed supplemental information about how human mathematicians interacted with LLMs, including transcripts of conversations.—
Konstantin Kakaes,
Quanta Magazine,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The terms of Chan’s contract are complete, city spokesperson Jennifer Singer wrote in a statement, while noting the city does not comment on personnel matters related to former employees.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The first would allow courts in protection from abuse matters and criminal proceedings to order abusers to wear a GPS monitoring device that enables survivors to track their location in real time, even with alerts to law enforcement.—
Lauren Linder,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Inside the media center, rows of workstations equipped with laptops and charging points allow reporters to file stories.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Filmmakers have used the Civil War as a setting for many decades now, inspiring stories of epic military battles, romantic melodramas, and even satires, from sweeping Best Picture winners like Gone With the Wind (1939) to revisionist Westerns like Django Unchained (2012).—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Now, Kaori's mother is left with memories, her family is left with questions and the community is searching for answers.—
Naveen Dhaliwal,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
While neither the county nor the airport would answer The Post’s questions about taking voluntary measures to reduce aircraft activity and bring relief to neighbors, lawyers for Jefferson County argued in an October case filing that doing so was no easy feat for the airport.—
John Aguilar,
Denver Post,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Themes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/themes. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
