scene

American  

[seen] / sin /

noun

• scenes
  plural

1. the place where some action or event occurs.

   He returned to the scene of the accident.

   Synonyms:

   focus, center, location, stage, arena

2. any view or picture.

   The scene that lay before me, with its snow and colorful leaves, was beautiful.

3. an incident or situation in real life.

   She witnessed the scene at the restaurant as it happened.

   Synonyms:

   episode

4. an embarrassing outbreak or display of anger, strong feeling, or bad manners.

   Please don't make a scene in such a public place.

   Synonyms:

   show, spectacle, demonstration

5. a division of a play or of an act of a play, usually representing a passage of time in a single setting, featuring a specific character or group of characters.

   Scene Four takes place in a city park at dawn.

6. a unit of action or a segment of a story in a play, motion picture, or television show.

   The DVD contains many short scenes showing classic plane models at U.S. and European airports.

7. the place in which the action of a play or part of a play is supposed to occur.

8. scenery.

9. Literature.

   1. an episode, situation, or the like, as in a narrative.

   2. the setting or locale of a story.

10. the stage, especially of an ancient Greek or Roman theater.

11. an area or sphere of activity, current interest, etc..

    the rock music scene;

    the fashion scene.

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idioms

1. make the scene, to appear in a particular place or engage in a particular activity.

   Let's make the scene downtown tonight. She was never one to make the drug scene.

2. behind the scenes. see behind the scenes.

scene British  

/ siːn /

noun

1. the place where an action or event, real or imaginary, occurs

2. the setting for the action of a play, novel, etc

3. an incident or situation, real or imaginary, esp as described or represented

4. 1. a subdivision of an act of a play, in which the time is continuous and the setting fixed

   2. a single event, esp a significant one, in a play

5. films a shot or series of shots that constitutes a unit of the action

6. the backcloths, stage setting, etc, for a play or film set; scenery

7. the prospect of a place, landscape, etc

8. a display of emotion, esp an embarrassing one to the onlookers

9. informal the environment for a specific activity

   the fashion scene

10. informal interest or chosen occupation

    classical music is not my scene

11. rare the stage, esp of a theatre in ancient Greece or Rome

12. out of public view; privately

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scene More Idioms  

1. see behind the scenes; make a scene; make the scene; on the scene; set the scene for.

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Synonym Usage

See view.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• interscene
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• scenes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of scene

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin scēna “background” (of the stage), from Greek skēnḗ “booth” (where actors dressed)

Explanation

A scene is where something happens or happened. How did you know that the thief would return to the scene of the crime? Scene can also describe part of a movie or a play. Did the last scene make you laugh, cry, or fall asleep? There are lots of common phrases that use the word scene. If you “make a scene,” you draw attention to yourself with some kind of outburst. If something happens “behind the scenes,” the public doesn't know about it.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

scene scenes

Officers attended alongside the London Ambulance Service but the man was pronounced dead at the scene, despite the efforts of medics.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

As Abuja has slowly filled in over the years, it has shed some of its sterile feel, hosting a photography festival, an international film festival and a burgeoning literary scene.

From Barron's ● Oct. 3, 2026

San Cha was born in San José, then moved to San Francisco, where she was taken in by the Bay Area drag scene — specifically by her drag mother Per Sia, who’s still there.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

Three ambulances and two hazard response teams were sent but no one was taken from the scene.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

I leaned back against the mural, becoming part of the scene, waiting for my secret fries with a smile on my face for no reason.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Behind the scenes, the company leverages its corporate heft.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026

In the same group there were emotional scenes as Edin Dzeko retired from international football following Bosnia-Herzegovina's 1-1 draw at home to Sweden.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

After years of campus backlash and administrative crackdowns, fraternity membership has swelled this decade, as students have flocked to schools with big sports and robust social scenes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026

"In a year we would analyse 1,000-1,500 samples, often in case of paternity or crime scenes," said Mukul Pradhan, chief scientific officer at the National Forensic Science Laboratory.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

“We’ll shoot the warehouse scenes tomorrow,” the director announced when the crew finally wrapped for the day.

From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein

Related Words

• arena
• display
• landscape
• location
• picture
• place
• scenery
• set
• setting
• show
• sight
• site
• spectacle
• spot
• stage
• theater
• view