through line
noun
variants
or throughline
or less commonly through-line
: a common or consistent element or theme shared by items in a series or by parts of a whole
But Kent's latest nonetheless reveals a fascinating through line in her work, which centers on, as she puts it, "disrespect for the feminine"—and the inciting power of female rage.—
Rachel Handler
Rachel HandlerVang was born in a refugee camp in Thailand, and came to the United States in the late 1980s. For him and his family, food was the throughline keeping them connected to their culture, wherever they were.—Sharyn Jackson
Sharyn JacksonPerverse moments like these are a throughline in Decker's work. The Texas native specializes in "bad" desires—awkward wants that tend to go unexpressed, or which otherwise seem too compromising to confess even to oneself.—K. Austin Collins
K. Austin CollinsUnlike Tokyo's great shopping thoroughfares, which have a certain logical through-line (if not aesthetic, at least socioeconomic), Osaka's arcades are mismatched, high-low jumbles of retail diversions.—Simon Dumenco
Simon DumencoExamples of through line in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Despite coming at Big Tech from different sides, there's a clear through line of pressure from Trump's first administration to today that isn't going away anytime soon.
—Ashley Gold, Axios, 24 Feb. 2025
Most of the furnishings — his bed frame, his dining table, his desk — are also covered in laminate, a minimalist through line that contrasts with the bright colors of his art.
—Andrew Moore, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
Those disparate pieces, while helpful in informing a farmer’s game plan each season for a single field, have historically lacked a crucial through line to stitch together a bigger picture of how our crops are performing in real time.
—Ali Bouzari, Bon Appétit, 13 Feb. 2025
Due to its small parking lot, the drive through line can only fit four to five cars which forces the excess out onto Halloran Street.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for through line
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Ashley Gold, Axios, 24 Feb. 2025
Most of the furnishings — his bed frame, his dining table, his desk — are also covered in laminate, a minimalist through line that contrasts with the bright colors of his art.
—Andrew Moore, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
Those disparate pieces, while helpful in informing a farmer’s game plan each season for a single field, have historically lacked a crucial through line to stitch together a bigger picture of how our crops are performing in real time.
—Ali Bouzari, Bon Appétit, 13 Feb. 2025
Due to its small parking lot, the drive through line can only fit four to five cars which forces the excess out onto Halloran Street.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for through line
Cite this Entry
“Through line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/through%20line. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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