narrative
Americannoun
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a story or account of events, experiences, or the like, whether true or fictitious.
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a book, literary work, etc., containing such a story.
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the art, technique, or process of narrating, or of telling a story.
Somerset Maugham was a master of narrative.
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a story that connects and explains a carefully selected set of supposedly true events, experiences, or the like, intended to support a particular viewpoint or thesis.
to rewrite the prevailing narrative about masculinity; the narrative that our public schools are failing.
adjective
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consisting of or being a narrative.
a narrative poem.
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of or relating to narration, or the telling of a story.
My English teacher's narrative skill makes characters seem to come to life.
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Fine Arts. representing stories or events pictorially or sculpturally.
narrative painting.
noun
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an account, report, or story, as of events, experiences, etc
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the part of a literary work that relates events
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the process or technique of narrating
adjective
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telling a story
a narrative poem
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of or relating to narration
narrative art
Related Words
Narrative, account, recital, history are terms for a story of an event or events. Narrative is the general term (for a story long or short; of past, present, or future; factual or imagined; told for any purpose; and with or without much detail). The other three terms apply primarily to factual stories of time already past. An account is usually told informally, often for entertainment, with emphasis on details of action, whether about an incident or a series of happenings. A recital is an extended narrative usually with an informative purpose, emphasizing accuracy and exhaustive details of facts and figures. A history, usually written and at some length, is characterized by a tracing of causes and effects, and by an attempt to estimate, evaluate, and interpret facts.
Other Word Forms
- narratively adverb
- nonnarrative adjective
- seminarrative adjective
Etymology
Origin of narrative
First recorded in 1445–55; from Middle French narratif (adjective and noun), from Late Latin narrātīvus “narration” (noun), “suitable for narration” (adjective), from narrāt(us) “related, told” (past participle of narrāre “to relate, tell, say”) + -īvus, adjective suffix; equivalent to narrate ( def. ) + -ive ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The French historian Ernest Renan identified the tension between a nation-state’s need for a legitimizing narrative and the often ugly truths of its actual past.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
The energy story already has been rewriting the 2026 to 2027 supply-balance narrative for commodities, said Jake Hanley, chief growth officer and director of investments at Teucrium.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026
But Ackman has a vested interest in pushing that narrative.
From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026
Fogelman and his team of writers are already at work on Season 3 of the Hulu series, which will officially conclude the narrative arc of “Paradise.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
Even though The Firebird, Petrushka and The Rite of Spring ballets all have narrative threads, Stravinsky played against this tendency in his scores for them.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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.
