Ibsen

American  

[ib-suhn, ip-suhn] / ˈɪb sən, ˈɪp sən /

noun

1. Henrik 1828–1906, Norwegian dramatist and poet.

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Ibsen British  

/ ˈɪbsən /

noun

1. Henrik (ˈhɛnrɪk). 1828–1906, Norwegian dramatist and poet. After his early verse plays Brand (1866) and Peer Gynt (1867), he began the series of social dramas in prose, including A Doll's House (1879), Ghosts (1881), and The Wild Duck (1886), which have had a profound influence on modern drama. His later plays, such as Hedda Gabler (1890) and The Master Builder (1892), are more symbolic

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Other Word Forms

• post-Ibsen adjective

Example Sentences

A 19th-century play by Henrik Ibsen gets a bracing update from filmmaker Nia DaCosta in “Hedda.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 26, 2025

By the end, “Hedda” is to Henrik Ibsen what the musical “Chicago” was to the criminal-justice system.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 28, 2025

Inspired by her antihero, DaCosta manipulates Ibsen to suit her own goals.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 22, 2025

An adaptation of another Ibsen play, Enemy of the People, opened in London last year starring Doctor Who actor Matt Smith.

From BBC • May 7, 2025

You can hear plays by O’Casey, Shaw, Ibsen and Shakespeare himself, the best of all, even if he is English.

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt