fourth wall
noun
: an imaginary wall (as at the opening of a modern stage proscenium) that keeps performers from recognizing or directly addressing their audience
Examples of fourth wall in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The director’s voice breaks the fourth wall with as much subtlety as a character waking up to say that everything was merely a dream.
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Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 22 Oct. 2025
The series is Johnson’s side of events and the character of his lawyer, played by Mark McKinney, breaks the fourth wall to tell viewers as much.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2025
Director Luca Guadagnino addresses the final scene of the movie and his decision to break the fourth wall.
—Gerrad Hall, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 2025
Athenian stage comedy routinely often broke the fourth wall to comment on current politics to the politicians sitting right in front of them.
—Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fourth wall
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Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 22 Oct. 2025
The series is Johnson’s side of events and the character of his lawyer, played by Mark McKinney, breaks the fourth wall to tell viewers as much.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2025
Director Luca Guadagnino addresses the final scene of the movie and his decision to break the fourth wall.
—Gerrad Hall, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 2025
Athenian stage comedy routinely often broke the fourth wall to comment on current politics to the politicians sitting right in front of them.
—Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fourth wall
Cite this Entry
“Fourth wall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fourth%20wall. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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