sequel

American  

[see-kwuhl] / ˈsi kwəl /

noun

• sequels
  plural

1. a literary work, movie, etc., that is complete in itself but continues the narrative of a preceding work.

2. an event or circumstance following something; subsequent course of affairs.

3. a result, consequence, or inference.

   Synonyms:

   end, outgrowth, upshot, aftermath

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sequel British  

/ ˈsiːkwəl /

noun

1. anything that follows from something else; development

2. a consequence or result

3. a novel, play, etc, that continues a previously related story

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sequel Cultural  

1. A narrative or dramatic work complete in itself but designed to follow an earlier one. Through the Looking-Glass is a sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a sequel to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• sequels
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of sequel

1375–1425; late Middle English sequel ( e ) < Latin sequēla what follows, equivalent to sequ ( ī ) to follow + -ēla noun suffix

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Explanation

A sequel is a continuation or part two. The Empire Strikes Back and Toy Story 2 are sequels. Many successful movies have sequels. The most common meaning of sequel is for a book or movie that follows another, but the term can be used for just about anything that comes second. We might say of an actress who begins her career with a bang, "What will she do for a sequel?" A football team that wins a championship may have trouble with the sequel — trying to win another one next year. All sequels have a tough challenge — living up to the original.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sequel sequels

The car is a sequel to the original Tesla Roadster, the automaker’s first vehicle, released in 2008.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

Meanwhile, the new sequel to the Oscar-winning hit The Social Network also struggled at the box office on its opening weekend.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

Anne Hathaway, Cruise’s co-star on the coming sequel to 1990’s “Days of Thunder,” posted “loved this brilliant movie” on the film-centric social media app Letterboxd, giving “Digger” five stars.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026

Although not exactly the movie sequel some fans were hoping for, the series will pick up after the events of the 2018 film and will be based on Kwan’s books, HBO announced.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

“Swordquest: Earthworld was Atari’s unofficial sequel to Adventure. Every gunter worth their salt knows about that contest. How much more obvious can you get?”

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

This is the formula for these legacy sequels: Strip the original film for parts and then Frankenstein those parts into something new.

From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026

This season, new series will feel familiar, thanks to literary adaptations like ‘East of Eden’ and ‘Pride and Prejudice,’ as well as prequels and sequels like ‘Crystal Lake’ and ‘Blade Runner 2099.’

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026

They have 36 scheduled for 2027 including sequels to “A Quiet Place” and “Superman.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

"The drop from number five's opening in July 2023 is substantial but typical of these sequels."

From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026

There could—and would—be sequels starring his cohorts: Specialist Manny Loco and Privatejasper Jacks and the rest.

From "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

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Related Words

• conclusion
• ending
• sequence
• series

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