narrative
Americannoun
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a story or account of events, experiences, or the like, whether true or fictitious.
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a book, literary work, etc., containing such a story.
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the art, technique, or process of narrating, or of telling a story.
Somerset Maugham was a master of narrative.
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a story that connects and explains a carefully selected set of supposedly true events, experiences, or the like, intended to support a particular viewpoint or thesis.
to rewrite the prevailing narrative about masculinity; the narrative that our public schools are failing.
adjective
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consisting of or being a narrative.
a narrative poem.
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of or relating to narration, or the telling of a story.
My English teacher's narrative skill makes characters seem to come to life.
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Fine Arts. representing stories or events pictorially or sculpturally.
narrative painting.
noun
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an account, report, or story, as of events, experiences, etc
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the part of a literary work that relates events
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the process or technique of narrating
adjective
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telling a story
a narrative poem
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of or relating to narration
narrative art
Related Words
Narrative, account, recital, history are terms for a story of an event or events. Narrative is the general term (for a story long or short; of past, present, or future; factual or imagined; told for any purpose; and with or without much detail). The other three terms apply primarily to factual stories of time already past. An account is usually told informally, often for entertainment, with emphasis on details of action, whether about an incident or a series of happenings. A recital is an extended narrative usually with an informative purpose, emphasizing accuracy and exhaustive details of facts and figures. A history, usually written and at some length, is characterized by a tracing of causes and effects, and by an attempt to estimate, evaluate, and interpret facts.
Other Word Forms
- narratively adverb
- nonnarrative adjective
- seminarrative adjective
Etymology
Origin of narrative
First recorded in 1445–55; from Middle French narratif (adjective and noun), from Late Latin narrātīvus “narration” (noun), “suitable for narration” (adjective), from narrāt(us) “related, told” (past participle of narrāre “to relate, tell, say”) + -īvus, adjective suffix; equivalent to narrate ( def. ) + -ive ( def. )
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 White House, however, countered that narrative on Tuesday, highlighting that U.S. economic activity has remained robust in the data available so far for 2025.
From Barron's
The dollar “probably can keep selling off because it kind of ratifies the current narrative,” said Brent Donnelly, president of Spectra Markets.
The company posted positive free cash flow in its most recent quarter despite ongoing capex, but the AI narrative here is secondary to near-term profitability in the core business.
From MarketWatch
The memorials warned that fake content was also being created "specifically to dilute historical facts, shift victim and perpetrator roles, or spread revisionist narratives".
From Barron's
"That is a false narrative," Colombo told the BBC outside the courthouse.
From BBC
Definitions 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.
