storytelling
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of storytelling
Explanation
Storytelling is the art of weaving words into captivating tales, bringing characters and events to life in the minds of an audience of listeners or readers. Whether in ancient myths, bedtime stories, historical accounts, popular novels, or modern movies, effective storytelling can capture our attention by creating vivid mental images and emotional connections. Throughout human history, storytelling has provided a means of passing on knowledge, culture, and values. It can help us understand different perspectives, build empathy, and activate our own imaginations. Storytelling is a fundamental part of the human experience.
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 retailer’s chief growth officer is big on customer data and big on storytelling.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
We’re past due for dystopian storytelling to train its lens on a creature in the here and now, one whose very survival speaks to consequential global change.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
But while the novel is imposing from sheer size alone, the shift in medium lends their elaborate, occasionally exhausting storytelling a curious new potency.
From Salon ● Oct. 29, 2026
"For more than 25 years, he brought a gravitas and profundity to the role, earning fans across the globe and helping to transform Super Hero storytelling forever," Marvel Studios said Thursday.
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026
But Stella knew his turn was coming—he was saving his energy for the storytelling.
From "Stella by Starlight" by Sharon M. Draper
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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.