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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
His meticulous craftsmanship takes on narrative bloat, his fluid juggling of characters and subplots turns mechanistic, and his customarily perfect pitch with actors gets lost, or at least scrambled, in translation. Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025 One subplot playing out this awards season involves intimacy coordinators — and whether directors should be obligated to use them. Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 27 Feb. 2025 But even that subplot is about Outie Mark’s desire to find his not-so-late wife, which here leads to him seeing the version of her that his innie knows. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2025 Yet while Mackie and his cast members all do their parts – especially Harrison Ford, who turns into a Hulk (!) – the new adventure juggles too many subplots and too much fan service to form a coherent narrative. Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Subplot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subplot. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

subplot

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

More from Merriam-Webster on subplot

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!