narrate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
narrates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
narrated,
past participle, past
-
narrating
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
narrates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
narrated,
past participle, past
-
narrating
present participle
verb
-
to tell (a story); relate
-
to speak in accompaniment of (a film, television programme, etc)
Synonym Usage
See describe.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
narraternoun
-
narratornoun
-
misnarrateverb
-
narratableadjective
-
unnarratableadjective
-
unnarratedadjective
-
well-narratedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
narratesimple
-
narratessimple
-
have narratedperfect
-
has narratedperfect
-
am narratingprogressive
-
are narratingprogressive
-
is narratingprogressive
-
have been narratingperfect progressive
-
has been narratingperfect progressive
Past
-
narratedsimple
-
had narratedperfect
-
was narratingprogressive
-
were narratingprogressive
-
had been narratingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of narrate
First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin narrātus (past participle of narrāre ”to relate, tell, say”), equivalent to nār(us) “knowing, acquainted with” (variant of gnārus; see cognition) + -ātus -ate 1
Explanation
When you tell a story or describe something out loud, you narrate. You might hire a well-known actor to narrate your documentary film about circus elephants. One way to narrate is to comment on or describe visual images — photographs or scenes in a film, for example. You can also narrate a story simply by relaying the details aloud. In books, a character sometimes narrates the story as well. It appears that narration, or the action of telling a story, came before narrate, from the Latin root narrare, "to tell, relate, or recount," or literally, "to make acquainted with."
Vocabulary lists containing narrate
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Theme and Purpose
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Fish in a Tree
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
The pictograms in the Codex Boturini narrate the story of the migration of the Aztecs, also known as Mexica, from their ancestral homeland to the shores of Lake Texcoco, where they built Tenochtitlán.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
After talking it through with her family and editor Elizabeth Méndez Berry, she warmed to the idea, realizing that the book didn’t have to just focus on her, that biography could also narrate community.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Since first emerging online in 2019 on the online bulletin board 4chan, the Backrooms phenomenon has expanded across Reddit, TikTok, YouTube and gaming platforms, where users collectively map, narrate and extend its mythology.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026
Yes, there are celebrities involved—he and Demi Moore narrate the film, which advocates changes in the way that humans grow their food.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026
Without it, he hugged himself around the knees and let Isadora narrate him through a few more of the notes.
From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste
The broadcaster, who turned 100 earlier this year, narrates the new six-part series exploring the darkest depths of the world's oceans, produced by the BBC Natural History Unit in Bristol.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
Willy Wonka actor Gene Wilder "narrates" the show, explaining the various games to contestants.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
The centerpiece is the three minutes where Travis calmly narrates the plane crash interspersed with him drumming, amid flames, in a way that captures each emotional beat of what he went through.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
Method Man narrates a retrospective of sneaker culture in a new campaign for Foot Locker.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
Thankfully, a train approaches the station, and Teddy shouts in delight, then narrates what’s happening.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
At a launch event on Tuesday, Sir David said: "When I narrated the first Blue Planet series, it didn't occur to me that I would be narrating a third series in my centennial year."
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
But the tale of that Thursday’s spontaneous, viral resistance is narrated by its proud participants.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
Tsuda's legal team argued the account only gained traction because "its dubious, sordid content was narrated by the attractive voice of a popular actor".
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
These and other events have been “insufficiently examined, inadequately narrated, and rarely remembered,” says Mr. Van de Ven, a professor of modern Chinese history at Cambridge University.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
I narrated this small story at great length.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
At a launch event on Tuesday, Sir David said: "When I narrated the first Blue Planet series, it didn't occur to me that I would be narrating a third series in my centennial year."
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
A third ad includes images of Mount Rushmore, with Trump narrating that “the United States of America is the most successful, most accomplished, most exceptional nation ever to exist in human history.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
Smith makes treats like Skittles, gummy bears and pasta festooned with marigold petals, narrating each step in a baby-soft voice while wearing dreamy fits.
From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2026
Igby Rigney plays Ellis in “The Shards,” narrating from the future.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
He says it so slowly that it’s like he’s narrating the documentary about the Civil War that Ms. Rochambeau had us watch.
From "The Benefits of Being an Octopus" by Ann Braden
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
