narrative
Americannoun
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a story or account of events, experiences, or the like, whether true or fictitious.
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a book, literary work, etc., containing such a story.
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the art, technique, or process of narrating, or of telling a story.
Somerset Maugham was a master of narrative.
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a story that connects and explains a carefully selected set of supposedly true events, experiences, or the like, intended to support a particular viewpoint or thesis.
to rewrite the prevailing narrative about masculinity; the narrative that our public schools are failing.
adjective
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consisting of or being a narrative.
a narrative poem.
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of or relating to narration, or the telling of a story.
My English teacher's narrative skill makes characters seem to come to life.
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Fine Arts. representing stories or events pictorially or sculpturally.
narrative painting.
noun
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an account, report, or story, as of events, experiences, etc
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the part of a literary work that relates events
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the process or technique of narrating
adjective
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telling a story
a narrative poem
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of or relating to narration
narrative art
Synonym Usage
Narrative, account, recital, history are terms for a story of an event or events. Narrative is the general term (for a story long or short; of past, present, or future; factual or imagined; told for any purpose; and with or without much detail). The other three terms apply primarily to factual stories of time already past. An account is usually told informally, often for entertainment, with emphasis on details of action, whether about an incident or a series of happenings. A recital is an extended narrative usually with an informative purpose, emphasizing accuracy and exhaustive details of facts and figures. A history, usually written and at some length, is characterized by a tracing of causes and effects, and by an attempt to estimate, evaluate, and interpret facts.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of narrative
First recorded in 1445–55; from Middle French narratif (adjective and noun), from Late Latin narrātīvus “narration” (noun), “suitable for narration” (adjective), from narrāt(us) “related, told” (past participle of narrāre “to relate, tell, say”) + -īvus, adjective suffix; equivalent to narrate ( def. ) + -ive ( def. )
Explanation
A narrative is a story that you write or tell to someone, usually in great detail. A narrative can be a work of poetry or prose, or even song, theater, or dance. Often a narrative is meant to include the "whole story." A summary will give a few key details and then the narrative will delve into the details. "I hate to interrupt your narrative," is a polite way of stopping someone in the middle of a story. The origin of this noun is the Latin adjective narrativus, from narrare "to tell," from gnarus "knowing." It is related to our English verb know.
Vocabulary lists containing narrative
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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The SAT: Language of the Test, List 5
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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:
Kip is such a large part of the narrative that the novel even ends on his character.
From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2026
Although McCreary says that “Ekleipsis” is not disconnected from that universe, it is not strictly tied to a narrative.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
"It's a family-friendly audiovisual spectacle, like an elaborate Fourth of July fireworks display - and with about the same level of narrative and emotional depth," she said.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
His book is more than a gripping historical narrative.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
He says that by dinner-time they will be able to show a whole connected narrative.
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
Beyond the narratives surrounding strikers, with injured Emmanuel Emegha and Nicolas Jackson also on the books, it was only a very early glimpse of what to expect from Alonso's Chelsea.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
Often, commentators first clarify that they’re open to questioning narratives before arguing that this specific narrative shouldn’t be questioned.
From Slate ● Jul. 21, 2026
Upon its debut in 2022, the show was lauded for its unabashedly joyful, tender portrayal of queer youth — a refreshing departure from the trauma-heavy narratives that dominate other teen dramas.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
Doing so would strengthen public confidence, improve accountability and ensure that misconduct claims are measured against objective evidence rather than dueling narratives.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
But Eisman was quick to see narratives, he explained the world in stories, and this was one of the stories he used to explain himself.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
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.
