narrative

narrative — noun

1. A spoken or written account in which a person tells about a series of related ev

1.nounB2
Definition

A spoken or written account in which a person tells about a series of related events, forming the story of something such as a novel, film, or personal experience.

Example

The book follows the narrative of a boy travelling across Japan to find his mother.

tell/follow a narrative

Priya wrote a gripping narrative about her grandmother's escape from the war.

Common collocations
  • tell a narrative
  • follow a narrative
  • write a narrative
  • gripping narrative
  • personal narrative
  • fictional narrative
Synonyms
  • story

    more common in everyday speech; less formal

  • account

    emphasises factual reporting rather than creative storytelling

  • tale

    often suggests traditional folk stories or fictional content

Grammar Patterns

the + narrative + of + [topic]

a + narrative + about + [topic]

Usage Note

More formal and literary than the everyday word 'story'. Common in book reviews, film criticism, and academic writing about literature.

Common Mistakes

She told me an interesting narrative about her trip.
She told me an interesting story about her trip.
'Story' is preferred in everyday conversation; 'narrative' sounds overly formal for casual talk.

2. The specific viewpoint from which someone describes and interprets events, shape

2.nounC1
Definition

The specific viewpoint from which someone describes and interprets events, shaped by a particular set of beliefs, values, or political aims.

Example

The media's narrative about the election was challenged by independent fact-checkers.

media/political narrative

Each side in the debate presented its own narrative of what caused the crisis.

Common collocations
  • dominant narrative
  • alternative narrative
  • competing narratives
  • change the narrative
  • media narrative
  • political narrative
Synonyms
  • perspective

    focuses on individual viewpoint rather than a constructed story

  • interpretation

    stresses the analytical process of making sense of events

  • framing

    highlights how information is selectively presented to shape understanding

Grammar Patterns

the + adjective + narrative

possessive + narrative

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1 (A STORY): this sense refers to how events are framed and interpreted, not the events themselves. Frequently appears with modifiers such as 'dominant', 'alternative', 'competing', or 'official'. Common in political and media discourse.

Common Mistakes

The witness gave her narrative of the accident to the police.
The witness gave her account of the accident to the police.
For factual reporting of what happened, use 'account' or 'statement'; 'narrative' implies a constructed interpretation.

narrative — adjective

Word family

  • narrate
    verbB2
  • narration
    nounB2
  • narrator
    nounB2
  • narratively
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Story is the most common and general term, used in both casual and formal contexts — anyone can tell a story about their day. An account is typically factual and focused on reporting what happened, often with supporting detail, such as a witness account in court. A tale suggests a traditional, often fictional or imaginative story, like a folk tale or fairy tale. Narration refers specifically to the act or process of telling a story, or the spoken commentary in a film. Narrative is similar to story but carries a more formal or literary tone and is often used when discussing the structure or composition of a story. In everyday conversation, choose 'story'; in academic or critical writing about literature and film, 'narrative' is preferred. For example: 'The children listened to a tale about a clever fox.' (traditional, fictional) vs. 'Her account of the accident was detailed and accurate.' (factual, witness-based).

story ↗account ↗tale ↗narration

Common collocations

Prepositions

  • narrative of
  • narrative about

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Comes from Latin 'narrativus' (relating to telling a story), which traces back to the verb 'narrare' (to tell, relate). The verb form may be connected to 'gnarus' (knowing, skilled), suggesting that telling a story was originally linked to having knowledge of events. Latin passed through French into English during the 15th–16th centuries. The noun sense ('a story') appeared around the 1560s, and the adjective form ('having the form of a story') developed around the same period. The modern abstract sense ('a particular way of framing events') became especially common in political and media discourse in the late 20th century.