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.

---

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

---

narration Cultural  

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

---

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

The landmark series Sir David works on often take three or four years to complete, with his involvement stretching far beyond narration.

From BBC • May 8, 2026

Mr. Tennant returns, too, providing drily hilarious narration to what is purely ridiculous, including English- and logic-torturing pronouncements and press statements.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

He’s somewhat delighted by the Norman Rockwell-esque scene he walks into, detailing his surroundings in extensive voicemails to his estranged wife that serve as a narration.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

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

From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026

Still, though, even when they were dull I enjoyed the disconcerting combination of French life and English narration.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

Related Words

• anecdote
• narrative
• tale
• voice-over