topic sentence

American  

Or topical sentence

noun

1. a sentence that expresses the essential idea of a paragraph or larger section, usually appearing at the beginning.

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topic sentence British  

noun

1. a sentence in a paragraph that expresses the main idea or point of the whole paragraph

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topic sentence Cultural  

1. The main sentence in a paragraph, often the first sentence. It briefly conveys the essential idea of the paragraph.

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Etymology

Origin of topic sentence

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

But crafting a note like “A topic sentence should signal what the paragraph is about. Can you try reworking this sentence to reflect the paragraph?” is far more empowering.

From Scientific American • Jun. 15, 2023

Each paragraph should have a topic sentence to maintain focus and organization.

From Textbooks • Dec. 21, 2021

Does developing the idea in this body paragraph directly support its topic sentence?

From Textbooks • Dec. 21, 2021

It needs a topic sentence and more development.

From Textbooks • Dec. 21, 2021

Each division and subdivision will naturally contain a topic sentence.

From Newspaper Reporting and Correspondence A Manual for Reporters, Correspondents, and Students of Newspaper Writing by Hyde, Grant Milnor