story lines

plural of story line
as in stories
the unfolding of events in a dramatic or literary work the story line is clumsily interrupted several times to provide some much-needed background information

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of story lines This season doesn’t seem to have story lines so much as little things that pop up here and there and then disappear quickly. — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026 These story lines add a sense of urgency and progress to a series that was a little too comfortable being amiably aimless. — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026 Whenever next season begins (if there is a season), a Cannarella-Marsee center field battle should be one of the most fascinating story lines. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026 Dwayne Hickman starred as the titular character Dobie Gillis, the lovestruck teenager whose quest for romance drove the show’s story lines. — Sophie Clausen, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026 From there, readers can dive into all sorts of comics from Marvel history, from original Fantastic Four and Spider-Man comics from the '60s to more recent titles and event crossovers that were the basis for MCU story lines. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 July 2026 The series combines potty-mouthed put-downs with more sentimental story lines. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for story lines
Noun
  • In the 2021 Senate runoff elections in Georgia, this writer did a number of stories following forecasts by Thomas Miller, a prominent data scientist who’s a professor at Northwestern University.
    — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Yet neither of these stories fits the timing or scale of the decline.
    — J. Travis Donahoe, STAT, 23 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Beneath the spy plots, then, is a fond portrait of a group of people held in perpetual disgrace for their shortcomings, and thus forced to find individual paths to redemption.
    — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Montanez noted that the case appears to be unusual because mass shooting plots are most often conceived and carried out by male suspects.
    — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Three outside law professors who reviewed the materials at the request of The Post said West Point's actions appear to violate the order issued by Judge Cathy Seibel in September that ended a lawsuit filed by a civilian professor at the academy.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Behind the scenes, Muse uses a collection of digital notes and instructions to guide its personality, actions and memory, all of which can be reviewed, edited and deleted.
    — Marty Swant, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Story lines.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/story%20lines. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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