narrative

[ nar-uh-tiv ]

noun

1. a story or account of events, experiences, or the like, whether true or fictitious.

   Synonyms: tale, chronicle

2. a book, literary work, etc., containing such a story.
3. the art, technique, or process of narrating, or of telling a story:

   Somerset Maugham was a master of narrative.

4. 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

1. consisting of or being a narrative:

   a narrative poem.

2. of or relating to narration, or the telling of a story:

   My English teacher's narrative skill makes characters seem to come to life.

3. Fine Arts. representing stories or events pictorially or sculpturally: Compare anecdotal ( def 2 ).

   narrative painting.

narrative

/ ˈnærətɪv /

noun

1. an account, report, or story, as of events, experiences, etc
2. the narrative
   the part of a literary work that relates events
3. the process or technique of narrating

adjective

1. telling a story

   a narrative poem

2. of or relating to narration

   narrative art

Derived Forms

• ˈnarratively, adverb

Other Words From

• narra·tive·ly adverb
• non·narra·tive adjective noun
• semi·narra·tive adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of narrative¹

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 )

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

So much for the narrative about his best days passing him by — for now, at least.

From FiveThirtyEight

Contrary to the accepted narrative about how to build a championship contender, the Heat have gotten to this stage with historically limited playoff experience and an unusually deep ensemble cast of contributors around star Jimmy Butler.

From FiveThirtyEight

Svetlana, like Selin, is interested in language as a tool for building narratives, and in the idea of constantly telling a story about oneself.

From Vox

When you see a burnt building, that is helping the wrong side of the narrative.

From Fortune

Even if you accept those terms, our own review raised issues with how the game develops its narrative.

From Ars Technica

For his part, Bratton is disappointed but not surprised that the same narrative is already being mapped onto Fry and Spencer.

From The Daily Beast

Traditionally, popular history is almost purely driven by narrative.

From The Daily Beast

The other narrative is of mobility in the service of ambition.

From The Daily Beast

A twinned, imagined narrative of a fictitious Fidel Castro and a Miami exile intent on assassinating him.

From The Daily Beast

The opening of the battle narrative begins on—get this—page 266!

From The Daily Beast

It is not, however, the incident in itself that is now referred to, but only the formality ascribed to it in the narrative.

From Project Gutenberg

As they walked along, he listened with trembling, half-incredulous hope to Jos's interpretation of Aunt Ri's voluble narrative.

From Project Gutenberg

A verbal narrative has of course in itself nothing similar to the scenes and events of which it tells.

From Project Gutenberg

At this part of Lorenzo's narrative, a cry, unutterable in words, burst from the engloomed but steadfast bosom of his auditor.

From Project Gutenberg

"I wonder if she has ever tried to condense rudeness into an epigram," said Isabel viciously, pausing in her narrative.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• account
• anecdote
• book
• chronicle
• chronology
• description
• detail
• fiction
• history
• narration
• plot
• version