subplot

noun

sub·​plot ˈsəb-ˌplät How to pronounce subplot (audio)
1
: a subordinate plot in fiction or drama
2
: a subdivision of an experimental plot of land

Examples of subplot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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On more prosaic fronts, too, the film is patchy, with multiple subplots drifting erratically in and out of view, and an uneven quartet of central performances. Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 May 2025 That’s the basic plot, but there are, typical in Trollope, numerous subplots. The New Yorker, New Yorker, 21 May 2025 Admittedly, the show started to lose some momentum in later seasons as subplots and shifting relationships became more complicated. ArsTechnica, 27 Apr. 2025 From the jump, the show was willing to reinvent side characters and subplots, while infusing the themes of the video game’s first installment—survival and unconditional love—into its smallest creations. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 21 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for subplot

Word History

First Known Use

1812, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of subplot was in 1812

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Cite this Entry

“Subplot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subplot. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

subplot

noun
sub·​plot ˈsəb-ˌplät How to pronounce subplot (audio)
: a subordinate plot in fiction or drama

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