narration

American  

[na-rey-shuhn] / næˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. something narrated; an account, story, or narrative.

2. the act or process of narrating.

3. a recital of events, especially in chronological order, as the story narrated in a poem or the exposition in a drama.

4. Rhetoric. (in classical speech) the third part, the exposition of the question.

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narration British  

/ nəˈreɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of narrating

2. a narrated account or story; narrative

3. (in traditional rhetoric) the third step in making a speech, the putting forward of the question

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narration Cultural  

1. The recounting of an event or series of events; the act of telling a story.

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Other Word Forms

• narrational adjective
• nonnarration noun

Etymology

Origin of narration

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin narrātiōn-, stem of narrātiō “narrative, story”; equivalent to narrate + -ion

Explanation

Narration is the act of telling a story, usually in some kind of chronological order. Making up a scary ghost story and relating it around a camp fire is an act of narration. Narration generally means any kind of explaining or telling of something. It is usually used in reference to storytelling. If you've ever watched a television show where one character's voice talks directly to the audience, then you've heard narration. You will often find narration happening in songs where the singer is telling the story of how something happened — like the day he lost his guitar, his truck, his wife, and started singing the blues.

Example Sentences

That idea starts with Ann Forsyte’s table-setting narration, a la Lady Whistledown in “Bridgerton.”

From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026

Most of its well-known screen adaptations, by contrast, are much less severe, the narration more direct, and the relationship between Catherine Earnshaw and her adopted brother Heathcliff firmly centered.

From Salon • Feb. 21, 2026

“When there’s no narration, people stop listening and start noticing,” Harjo said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026

The Dalai Lama won a Grammy for audio, narration and storytelling for his audiobook "Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama".

From Barron's • Feb. 2, 2026

Probably at Howard’s insistence, he let the press come into the barn to see the horse, albeit without narration from the trainer.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

Related Words

• anecdote
• narrative
• tale
• voice-over