storyline
noun
sto·ryline
ˈstȯr-ē-ˌlīn 
variants
or less commonly story line
plural storylines also story lines
1
: a plotline of a story, drama, or game
HBO's Insecure has been an exquisite platform of compelling, nuanced, mature storylines for Black TV comedy during its run.—
Matthew Allen
Matthew AllenPointless, menial objectives in a game distract from the main storyline and dilute the impact of more fun, engrossing missions.—Teddy Amenabar
Teddy AmenabarThe two story lines, each with its own compelling view of love, coalesce in a dramatic and surprising ending.—Martha Toll
Martha Toll
also
: story sense 1a
I've long wondered how the brain fits such unexpected sounds so smoothly and adroitly into dreams. The suggestion that the brain always brings phenomena to awareness a split second after they actually occur—in order to construct a plausible storyline for their appearance—offers a possible answer. —Robert Levy
Robert Levy 2
: a matter of particular importance, concern, or interest to an audience
—used especially in sports
The main storyline for the Timberwolves is the addition of three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.—Tyler Schmidt
Tyler SchmidtThe fact Ovechkin has brought the impossible record within reach changes the way you watch the game. … Because Gretzky's goal total is the ultimate individual record in the sport, the chase trumps every other storyline surrounding this team from now until Ovechkin gets there.—J. J. Regan
J. J. Regan
often
: one that is evolving or developing
The offensive line is a major storyline to watch throughout training camp and the preseason, especially considering there's a new quarterback under center for the fifth consecutive season. —Kevin Hickey
Kevin Hickey 
Examples of storyline in a Sentence
the story line is clumsily interrupted several times to provide some much-needed background information
Recent Examples on the Web
But [her departure] did force us to do some unexpected things that led to some beautiful storylines.
—EW.com, 13 Sep. 2024
Alas, that storyline ended when Bo was shot by his son Shawn; Reckell’s alter ego was last seen in a coma.
—Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 12 Sep. 2024
Each person's phrase relates to their storyline throughout the season.
—Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 12 Sep. 2024
With this many stories to choose from there are a lot of unique ways to kick off a fresh storyline at first level.
—Rob Wieland, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2024
Despite moving closer to making history, Ohtani was not the only storyline on Monday night.
—Jamie Barton, CNN, 10 Sep. 2024
The best offer film-worthy performances, direction, sets, writing, and costumes—and, of course, captivating storylines that could only be told over the course of multiple seasons and episodes.
—Gia Yetikyel, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2024
Well, the pitfall is the frustration of being pulled out of the storyline and put into another world — into other characters or time.
—Mikey O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Sep. 2024
With some 15,000 members of the media on hand, there will be plenty of storylines, even if the week turns out to be a breather from the topsy-turvy way that this election season has unfolded.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2024
EW.com, 13 Sep. 2024
Alas, that storyline ended when Bo was shot by his son Shawn; Reckell’s alter ego was last seen in a coma.
—Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 12 Sep. 2024
Each person's phrase relates to their storyline throughout the season.
—Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 12 Sep. 2024
With this many stories to choose from there are a lot of unique ways to kick off a fresh storyline at first level.
—Rob Wieland, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2024
Despite moving closer to making history, Ohtani was not the only storyline on Monday night.
—Jamie Barton, CNN, 10 Sep. 2024
The best offer film-worthy performances, direction, sets, writing, and costumes—and, of course, captivating storylines that could only be told over the course of multiple seasons and episodes.
—Gia Yetikyel, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2024
Well, the pitfall is the frustration of being pulled out of the storyline and put into another world — into other characters or time.
—Mikey O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Sep. 2024
With some 15,000 members of the media on hand, there will be plenty of storylines, even if the week turns out to be a breather from the topsy-turvy way that this election season has unfolded.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'storyline.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near storyline
Cite this Entry
“Storyline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/storyline. Accessed 17 Sep. 2024.
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