subplot

American  

[suhb-plot] / ˈsʌbˌplɒt /

noun

1. a secondary or subordinate plot, as in a play, novel, or other literary work; underplot.

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subplot British  

/ ˈsʌbˌplɒt /

noun

1. a subordinate or auxiliary plot in a novel, play, film, etc

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Etymology

Origin of subplot

First recorded in 1915–20; sub- + plot

Explanation

A secondary story in a book or movie, rather than the central narrative, is its subplot. Romeo and Juliet focuses on the main characters' love, but one of its many subplots is the rivalry between Mercutio and Tybalt. You can think of a subplot as a side story, something that seems a bit less important than the main plot but usually ties into it in some way. Almost all fiction has at least one subplot, from Inigo Montoya's desire for revenge in The Princess Bride to the comedic interactions of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in Shakespeare's Hamlet. This literary term adds the prefix sub-, "under" or "smaller," to plot, "the main events of a story."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

subplot

A smart and entertaining heist story unfolds, which Mr. Rich pads out with a less convincing subplot about Tim’s doomed affair with Virginia.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

While their subplot is a worthy ding at today’s avalanche of junk, heaven help us if “Toy Story 6” co-stars an out-of-date cellphone.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026

One subplot heavily relies on children’s nursery rhymes and playing them backwards to find hidden messages embedded in their melodies.

From Salon ● Mar. 15, 2026

Especially for Jay, whose subplot concerns his desire for a musical career apart from this partnership, and includes him covertly planning to perform at an open-mic event in far-off Ottawa.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 12, 2026

This insistence upon singleness of purpose in a play, clinging to it against all allurements, does not imply that what is known as a subplot may not be allowed in a drama.

From How to See a Play by Burton, Richard Francis, Sir