through-line

British  

noun

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

---

Example Sentences

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

Now that “The Regime” has come to an end, I’m looking at it as part of a through-line: You wrote for “Succession,” and you co-wrote “The Menu.”

From Salon • Apr. 8, 2024

It can be hard to find a through-line among those enterprises, mainstream and independent, comedy and tragedy and horror.

From New York Times • Mar. 22, 2024

Now, materiality in general is the principal through-line defining hugely diverse work made by the show’s 39 artists.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 3, 2023