denouement
/ˌdeɪˈnuːmɒ̃/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌdeɪnuːˈmɑ̃ː/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌdā-ˌnü-ˈmäⁿ dā-ˈnü-ˌmäⁿ/ (ame, mw)
denouement — noun
- denouementsingular
- denouementsplural
1. the closing part of a novel, play, or film where the loose ends of the plot fina
the closing part of a novel, play, or film where the loose ends of the plot finally come together and the story's mystery is settled; by extension, how a tangled real-life situation finally works itself out.
The denouement of the mystery novel revealed that the gardener had stolen the diamond ring.
the denouement of [story] revealed that [explanation]
Zola found the film's denouement too rushed, with three subplots resolved in a single short scene.
[story's] denouement [adjective]
After eight months of legal arguments, the trial reached a quiet denouement when both sides agreed to settle.
The play builds tension for two hours and then delivers a shocking denouement in its final five minutes.
Christopher waited eagerly for the denouement of the political scandal that had gripped the country all summer.
- resolution
more general; works for stories AND ordinary problems, while 'denouement' suggests an unfolding narrative
- climax
the point of greatest tension; the denouement is what comes AFTER the climax, when things get explained
- outcome
neutral, everyday word for any result; 'denouement' adds a sense of drama and explanation
- finale
the last part of a performance or series; 'finale' emphasises the ending itself, 'denouement' emphasises the untying of plot knots
- introduction
the opening that sets up the story, opposite of the closing that resolves it
- complication
the part of the plot where problems pile up, before they are untangled in the denouement
文法句型
the denouement of [story/event]
用法筆記
Most often used in literary or film criticism; outside the arts, the word lends a slightly dramatic tone to ordinary events. Subject is typically a story, drama, scandal, or long-running situation — not a single brief incident.