storytelling
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of storytelling
Explanation
Storytelling is the art of weaving words into captivating tales, bringing characters and events to life in the minds of an audience of listeners or readers. Whether in ancient myths, bedtime stories, historical accounts, popular novels, or modern movies, effective storytelling can capture our attention by creating vivid mental images and emotional connections. Throughout human history, storytelling has provided a means of passing on knowledge, culture, and values. It can help us understand different perspectives, build empathy, and activate our own imaginations. Storytelling is a fundamental part of the human experience.
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.
For all its interest in storytelling, the narrative itself can be a little leaden, the themes a tad insistent.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Through storytelling and art, young people are encouraged to think about signs of grief with fellow pupils and are offered ways to cope with their feelings and experiences.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
But what “Lanterns” does with John Stewart delineates the divide between sympathetic and empathetic storytelling.
From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2026
The 70-foot-wide curtain painstakingly created by L.A. artist Enrique Martínez Celaya is a surprising choice for a major opera house where one would expect a pattern or imagery related to storytelling.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
Mom says that Dad and Grandpa Ted had the same kind of warm tone, low and soft, good for storytelling.
From "The House That Lou Built" by Mae Respicio
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.
