theme
Americannoun
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themes
plural
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a subject of discourse, discussion, meditation, or composition; topic.
The need for world peace was the theme of the meeting.
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a unifying or dominant idea, motif, etc., as in a work of art.
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a short, informal essay, especially a school composition.
- Synonyms:
- paper
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Music.
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a principal melodic subject in a musical composition.
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a short melodic subject from which variations are developed.
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Grammar. the element common to all or most of the forms of an inflectional paradigm, often consisting of a root with certain formative elements or modifications.
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Linguistics. topic.
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Also an administrative division of the Byzantine Empire.
adjective
verb (used with object)
noun
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an idea or topic expanded in a discourse, discussion, etc
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(in literature, music, art, etc) a unifying idea, image, or motif, repeated or developed throughout a work
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music a group of notes forming a recognizable melodic unit, often used as the basis of the musical material in a composition
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a short essay, esp one set as an exercise for a student
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linguistics the first major constituent of a sentence, usually but not necessarily the subject. In the sentence history I do like, "history" is the theme of the sentence, even though it is the object of the verb
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(in the Byzantine Empire) a territorial unit consisting of several provinces under a military commander
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(modifier) planned or designed round one unifying subject, image, etc
a theme holiday
verb
Synonym Usage
See subject.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of theme
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English teme, theme (from Old French teme ), from Medieval Latin thema, Latin, from Greek théma “proposition, deposit,” akin to tithénai “to put, set down”
Explanation
A theme can be an underlying topic of a discussion or a recurring idea in an artistic work. Anxiety about getting married is a big theme in romantic comedies. From ancient Greek thema (via Latin and French) we get this word, whose many related uses all have to do with the idea of "the main subject of something." In music, it can be a recurring melody in a composition, or an entire song throughout a play or film (a theme song). It can also describe the decor of a setting: "The amusement park had a Wild West theme."
Vocabulary lists containing theme
PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade7)
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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Vocabulary of the Common Core
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
In a sense, it is a sign that investors have learned an important lesson since the dot-com collapse: Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket, or theme.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026
Ms. Zambello’s 2014 production of Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly,” directed in a revival by Joshua R. Horowitz, emphasizes the theme of American power: Most of Acts 1 and 2 are set in the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
In the last few years, Disney increasingly has leveraged the firm’s technology across its divisions, from theme park attractions to film and television production.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
She said she and Jacob, who have been together for 11 years, were proud to see their family and friends embrace the thrifting theme.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
She described the season’s ongoing theme as “charitable crafts” because “it’s not just our own lives that get messy.”
From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry
By keeping the action and themes largely Earthbound and removing the interstellar glamour associated with flying supes and suits, “Lanterns” reignites our consideration of a superhero long written off in the live-action realm.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
Metzler also says it has noted "a distinct demand for investment themes linked to electrification, decarbonisation and independence from fossil fuels".
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
As well as low self-esteem, confidence and healthy relationships, John said online safety is one of the themes their youth workers focus on, including how to block and report people.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
Yes, many do have themes and messages that are overt, or that spark reactions in the masses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
Mobility, reinvention, identity: These themes are central to the American story, and, in fact, were threaded through the literature I read in Lou Volpe’s classroom.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
Among them was the academy’s annual summer party, themed after 18th-century Georgian pleasure gardens — Britain’s oil-lamp-lit outdoor venues where aristocrats, the newly rich and everyday revelers gathered to see, be seen and behave badly.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Sixteen themed display cases line a square room with a pair of long cases at its center.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
The prize: A red Coca-Cola themed scarf or baseball cap.
From Barron's ● Jun. 27, 2026
These might include karaoke nights, themed bingo happy hours, and raves, often thrown with well-respected collectives.
From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2026
Everything—the lamps, the entertainment center, the picture frames—was island themed.
From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson
Iwerks is more interested in showing us the race against time, especially for a park that deviated from the light theming and simple rides of amusement parks of the era.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 22, 2026
"We have moved away from original plans in terms of the décor in the venue and are theming it more on classic movie horror characters," he told BBC Radio 4's Women's Hour programme.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2023
Hobby Lobby, an Oklahoma-based chain of big-box craft stores, is famous for its Christian theming.
From Salon ● Feb. 4, 2023
An actual rainbow arched over the park’s thunder-shower-soaked parking lot as the sun set, prompting several attendees to joke that Disney had outdone itself with Pride theming this year.
From New York Times ● Jun. 10, 2022
So far, the dynamic color theming has been available mostly on Pixels, though Samsung and Xiaomi have recently introduced theming options as well.
From The Verge ● Feb. 10, 2022
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.
