through-line

British  

noun

1. a theme or idea that runs from the beginning to the end of a book, film, etc

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

through-line

The abdication of curatorial responsibility here might have been at least partially forgivable if the show were stuffed with so much engaging work that finding a unifying through-line proved nearly impossible.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 6, 2026

"You find your way in and the through-line, and it becomes easier to learn."

From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2026

How do you see grief as a through-line in all your films?

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2025

There is no through-line here, no moral lesson as such; just the chaotic, meaningless interplay of life force, personalities and contingency.

From New York Times ● Feb. 9, 2024

Talk to me about that through-line — how do all of those influences come together in your food now?

From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2023