variants
also dénouement
as in finale
formal
the final part of something (such as a book, a play, or a series of events)
In the play's denouement, the two lovers kill themselves. the competition's exciting denouement
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of denouement
Growing up as an American, I was surrounded by cultural narratives that treated the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as the denouement of a story, one that began with the attack on Pearl Harbor and ended on V-J Day.
—
Kevin Dickinson, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
The intrigue and pursuit pull them across multiple, glamorous European locations to an unexpected denouement in Montenegro.
—The Know, Denver Post, 3 Aug. 2025
Still, for some experts, Bousso’s work delivers a satisfying denouement to the Penrose and Wall singularity story, despite its unrealistic abundance of particles.
—Charlie Wood, Wired News, 20 July 2025
The crises of the 1970s—the oil shock, the Watergate scandal, and the bloody denouement of the Vietnam War—would take their toll on philanthropies along with other liberal institutions.
—Mark Malloch-Brown, Foreign Affairs, 15 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for denouement
Kevin Dickinson, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
The intrigue and pursuit pull them across multiple, glamorous European locations to an unexpected denouement in Montenegro.
—The Know, Denver Post, 3 Aug. 2025
Still, for some experts, Bousso’s work delivers a satisfying denouement to the Penrose and Wall singularity story, despite its unrealistic abundance of particles.
—Charlie Wood, Wired News, 20 July 2025
The crises of the 1970s—the oil shock, the Watergate scandal, and the bloody denouement of the Vietnam War—would take their toll on philanthropies along with other liberal institutions.
—Mark Malloch-Brown, Foreign Affairs, 15 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for denouement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for denouement
Noun
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The likely transatlantic move may be hinted in the Season 5 finale, which debuts Tuesday on Hulu.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
27 Oct. 2025
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The Boots season 1 finale ends with unanswered questions, like the fate of Sullivan and what President Bush's announcement means for Cameron and his crew.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Steven Spielberg saw the original cut of the film prior to its release in which Katie dies, and convinced Peli to reshoot the more ominous ending where Featherston simply goes missing.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Oct. 2025
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Here's the ending of A House of Dynamite, explained.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Although that conclusion remains a subject of debate, the die-off of elkhorn and staghorn corals in Florida could bolster the argument.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
23 Oct. 2025
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The conclusion, according to the researchers?—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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And with the Practical Magic sequel underway, Nicks wants to revisit it once more.—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
23 Oct. 2025
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Back to the Future was a massive success, spawning two sequels, while Family Ties ended in 1989.—
Victoria Edel,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The aftermath of that crash inspired her branch of the Brown family tree to reshape the Louisville medical scene.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
26 Oct. 2025
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Churches, libraries, and houses stand splintered and rotting next to posh tourist resorts, the aftermath of 2017’s Hurricane Maria.—
Brenna Ehrlich,
Rolling Stone,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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That started with the volleyball spike of a 7-foot-1 player’s hook shot and continued to the tallest player in the league calmly breaking into a left-handed push dribble, coming under control and then hitting a complex six-dribble sequence and stepback 3-pointer plus the foul.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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There’s a spiritual dimension to that song and that sequence in the movie.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Denouement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/denouement. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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