exposition
noun
ex·po·si·tion
ˌek-spə-ˈzi-shən 
1
: a setting forth of the meaning or purpose (as of a writing)
2
a
: discourse or an example of it designed to convey information or explain what is difficult to understand
b(1)
: the first part of a musical composition in sonata form in which the thematic material of the movement is presented
(2)
: the opening section of a fugue
3
: a public exhibition or show
Examples of exposition in a Sentence
This is not an easy book, and the reader may find the layers of detail challenging. There are long expositions of the knotty tangles of monarchical lineage, and the necessary chronicle of historical events occasionally consumes the novel's narrative drive.
—
Lucy Lethbridge, Commonweal, 23 Oct. 2009
He is masterly in absorbing information and masterful in organizing it—skeptical of fashion, clear in exposition, fluent in communication, unremittingly scholarly.
—Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, New York Times Book Review, 11 June 2000
Although they were invited to use an early X ray machine on display at the exposition, they turned down the offer, and they never found the bullet.
—T. Burton Smith, American Heritage, September 1992
The subject requires some exposition.
a clear exposition of his ideas
Lucy Lethbridge, Commonweal, 23 Oct. 2009
He is masterly in absorbing information and masterful in organizing it—skeptical of fashion, clear in exposition, fluent in communication, unremittingly scholarly.
—Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, New York Times Book Review, 11 June 2000
Although they were invited to use an early X ray machine on display at the exposition, they turned down the offer, and they never found the bullet.
—T. Burton Smith, American Heritage, September 1992
The subject requires some exposition.
a clear exposition of his ideas
Recent Examples on the Web
Excessive exposition in horror can diminish the mystery and terror that allow an unsettling idea to linger in the audience’s mind long after the story ends.
—Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026
But Pressure is less a war story, rapt with the hysteria of battlefield deeds, than an intense exposition on the human capacity to tolerate uncertainty at a time when decisiveness is an imperative for action.
—Daniel Jonah Wolpert, NPR, 29 May 2026
Our two Yank interlopers spend some time puzzling over what that supernatural secret might be, before all is revealed in a burst of fantastical exposition toward the end of Act 1.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 27 May 2026
The paintings were loaned out for the 1929 exposition and never returned.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for exposition
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Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026
But Pressure is less a war story, rapt with the hysteria of battlefield deeds, than an intense exposition on the human capacity to tolerate uncertainty at a time when decisiveness is an imperative for action.
—Daniel Jonah Wolpert, NPR, 29 May 2026
Our two Yank interlopers spend some time puzzling over what that supernatural secret might be, before all is revealed in a burst of fantastical exposition toward the end of Act 1.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 27 May 2026
The paintings were loaned out for the 1929 exposition and never returned.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for exposition
Cite this Entry
“Exposition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exposition. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
exposition
noun
ex·po·si·tion
ˌek-spə-ˈzish-ən
1
: an explanation of something
2
: a piece of writing that explains
3
: the first part of a piece of music in which the theme is presented
4
: a public exhibition
expositor
noun
ik-ˈspäz-ət-ər
expository
adjective
ik-ˈspäz-ə-ˌtōr-ē,
-ˌtȯr-
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