denouement
noun
de·noue·ment
ˌdā-ˌnü-ˈmäⁿ 
dā-ˈnü-ˌmäⁿ
dā-ˈnü-ˌmäⁿ
variants
or less commonly dénouement
plural denouements also dénouements
1
: the final outcome of the main dramatic complication in a novel, play, film, etc.
In the novel's denouement, the two hostages escape to freedom.
It is an intentionally unsettling denouement, which is in keeping with the tone and purpose of the entire miniseries.—
David Wiegand
David Wiegand2
: the outcome of a complex sequence of events
the competition's exciting denouement
Examples of denouement in a Sentence
In the play's denouement, the two lovers kill themselves.
Recent Examples on the Web
Such was the case this past weekend, when tens of millions of fans keyed in on the denouement of the college basketball season at the expense of lesser spectacles such as spring football and one notoriously schismatic pro golf startup.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 9 Apr. 2025
The saga of the Shubert brothers was now consigned to ancient history — even though its scandalous denouement was quite recent history — and the current monarchs were not about to call attention to it.
—Frank Rich, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2025
The Padres have Bogaerts and Machado still presumably in their prime but with an unknown shelf life and an expensive denouement on the horizon.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Mar. 2025
Martine Croxall, Karin Giannone, Kasia Madera, and Annita McVeigh are set to begin their employment tribunal against the BBC on March 17 in London, marking the denouement of a dispute that has rumbled on for more than two years.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for denouement
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Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 9 Apr. 2025
The saga of the Shubert brothers was now consigned to ancient history — even though its scandalous denouement was quite recent history — and the current monarchs were not about to call attention to it.
—Frank Rich, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2025
The Padres have Bogaerts and Machado still presumably in their prime but with an unknown shelf life and an expensive denouement on the horizon.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Mar. 2025
Martine Croxall, Karin Giannone, Kasia Madera, and Annita McVeigh are set to begin their employment tribunal against the BBC on March 17 in London, marking the denouement of a dispute that has rumbled on for more than two years.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for denouement
Cite this Entry
“Denouement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/denouement. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
denouement
noun
de·noue·ment
ˌdā-ˌnü-ˈmän
dā-ˈnü-ˌ
dā-ˈnü-ˌ
1
: the final solution or untangling of the conflicts or difficulties that make up the plot of a literary work
2
: the outcome of a complicated or difficult situation or sequence of events
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