thesis statement
Americannoun
-
thesis statements
plural
Usage
What is a thesis statement? In academic writing, a thesis statement is generally a sentence or two that summarizes the main point that an essay, research paper, or speech is making. It is typically located at the end of the introductory paragraph(s). Thesis statements are kind of like roadmaps, laying out for the reader/listener where the writer/speaker is headed (argument) and how they are going to get there (evidence). The thesis statement is widely taught in the humanities, especially in English classes in high school and college, to teach students how to make persuasive arguments that cite and analyze evidence and examples researched from literary, historical, or other texts.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of thesis statement
First recorded in 1945–50
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 opening “I Feel So Free” is the thesis statement, framing the club as a place that dissolves ego, lessens anxiety, and offers a portal to communal bliss.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
A soaker is their thesis statement: a triple-beige stack of crisp-edged bread surrendering to brown gravy, studded with little hunks of meat that run a satisfying gradient from fatty to caramelized.
From Salon ● Dec. 7, 2025
No. It’s funny, I think that got me into trouble with “A Great Wilderness” a decade ago: I’m not interested in a thesis statement.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 31, 2024
Thus came the thesis statement of Lavoe’s sardonically titled comeback album “Comedia”: the dark, confessional salsa piece “El Cantante,” in which Lavoe lamented the psychological cost of pop stardom.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2023
“It depends on how you frame it. What's your angle, your thesis statement? What are you trying to say?”
From "Pride" by Ibi Zoboi
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.
