Narration
noun /næˈreɪʃən/ — The voice that carries a story — the act of telling, shaping how events are understood.
Definition
The act or process of narrating; the voice or perspective through which a story is told, which shapes everything the reader understands and feels.
Beyond the definition
Narration is the invisible architecture of story — we absorb it without noticing, yet it determines everything. Whose voice we hear determines what we see, what we trust, what we're allowed to know.
Origin & history
From Latin narratio — a telling, an account (from narrare: to tell, from gnarus: knowing). To narrate is to tell from knowledge — to be the one who knows what happened.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The first-person narration created an intimacy that made the betrayal sting more.
Her narration had the unhurried confidence of someone who already knew how the story ended.
The novel's power came from the gap between what the narration said and what it revealed.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Narration” when the meaning fits your context: The act or process of narrating; the voice or perspective through which a story is told, which shapes everything the reader understands and feels.
Synonyms
storytelling, account, recounting, chronicle, telling
Antonyms
silence, concealment
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Heated Disagreement at Table
Two people have a heated disagreement at a table, one using angry gestures while the other raises an open hand to pause, making the conflict clear.
Narration is the voice or perspective through which a story is told. By focusing on the interaction and the gestures of the individuals involved, this image provides the viewer with the perspective needed to understand the story of their conflict, shaping how the viewer interprets their intense and hostile exchange.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Narration" mean?
Narration is noun meaning: The voice that carries a story — the act of telling, shaping how events are understood.. The act or process of narrating; the voice or perspective through which a story is told, which shapes everything the reader understands and feels.
Where does the word "Narration" come from?
From Latin narratio — a telling, an account (from narrare: to tell, from gnarus: knowing). To narrate is to tell from knowledge — to be the one who knows what happened.