the final resolution of the intricacies of a plot, as of a drama or novel.
the place in the plot at which this occurs.
the outcome or resolution of a doubtful series of occurrences.
the final clarification or resolution of a plot in a play or other work
the point at which this occurs
final outcome; solution
First recorded in 1745–55; from French: literally, “an untying,” equivalent to dénouer “to untie,” Old French desnoer ( des- + noer “to knot,” from Latin nōdāre, derivative of nōdus “knot”) + -ment; see de-, -ment
You know that part of every movie after the big action scene, where things get explained, and the characters tie up loose ends? That's called the denouement, or the showing of how the plot eventually turns out. Denouement is a French word that literally means the action of untying, from a verb meaning to untie. The English word is pronounced like the French: day-noo-MON. The last syllable has a nasalized vowel instead of the n sound. You can use it outside the context of plays or novels, too: you might describe the denouement of an argument between two friends.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Hundreds of intellectuals and others have signed letters and online petitions expressing fears of a disastrous denouement: the collection’s prolonged — and possible permanent — absence from Mexico.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
This denouement was not what we were expecting.
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026
A pensive denouement shifts to the characters’—and the crows’—postwar fates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
Next week the league phase comes to a dramatic denouement with all 18 matches kicking off at the same time.
From Barron's ● Jan. 20, 2026
The day after May failed to make her appearance, the day after Ob trudged miserably one way while I trudged miserably the other, was what they call in English class the denouement.
From "Missing May" by Cynthia Rylant
That brings us to the present, and the impending sour dénouement to the calamitous 28 points.
From Slate ● Nov. 24, 2025
There's no way to judge or measure the probability of such a dreaded dénouement now.
From Salon ● Mar. 29, 2023
For example, the dénouement, while presenting a horrific situation, doesn’t fill the viewer with dread.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2021
In 1918, the nation’s attention was directed toward the dénouement of the war in Europe.
From Slate ● Feb. 18, 2019
I was explaining the dénouement when Cloke Rayburn abruptly shouldered through the crowd.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
Yet despite a number of similarities, including mistakes made and disastrous denouements that spelled defeat for the U.S., each conflict had entirely different impacts on U.S. society, culture and politics.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2022
Campy whodunnit Clue embraced the chaos: its 1985 cinema release randomly featured one of three different denouements to encourage repeat business.
From The Guardian ● Jan. 22, 2021
He was a student of the Tom Wolfe school of writing and favored stories with deeper meaning and surprising denouements.
From Golf Digest ● Apr. 14, 2020
From the start Martin’s books diametrically opposed the sort of neat denouements C.S.
From Salon ● Apr. 14, 2019
Mrs. Madison received it without excitement, remarking among her tears that it was one of the denouements she had imagined, and that on the whole it was the best thing he could have done.
From Senator North by Atherton, Gertrude Franklin Horn
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
