noir
/nwɑːr/ (bre, ipa) · /nwɑːr/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈnwär/ (ame, mw) · /nwɑː(r)/ (bre, ipa)
noir — adjective
- noirpositive
- noirercomparative
- noirestsuperlative
1. describing books, films, or shows whose mood is grim and morally shadowy, with c
describing books, films, or shows whose mood is grim and morally shadowy, with cynical characters moving through bleak settings.
Ramón's debut novel is deeply noir, with rain-soaked alleys and a detective who trusts no one.
postmodifier: a noun + noir pattern; intensifier 'deeply'
Astrid prefers noir thrillers because the heroes are flawed and the endings rarely feel safe.
attributive: noir + noun (collocates with thriller, drama, fiction)
The director gave the kitchen scene a noir feel by using low lamps and long shadows.
Critics called the new series very noir, comparing its moody streets to 1940s detective films.
- dark
everyday word for grim tone; 'noir' specifically evokes detective-fiction style
- hard-boiled
narrower — focuses on tough, cynical heroes typical of noir crime fiction
- bleak
describes mood of hopelessness; lacks the stylistic genre signal of 'noir'
- lighthearted
cheerful and easygoing — the opposite tone
文法句型
noun + noir
noir + noun
用法筆記
Most often modifies works of fiction, film, or television (thriller, novel, drama, series). Rarely describes real people or events; when it does, it signals a deliberate stylistic comparison.
常見錯誤
noir — noun
- noirsingular
- noirsplural
1. a storytelling style, used mainly in crime films and books, that paints the worl
a storytelling style, used mainly in crime films and books, that paints the world as morally murky, cynical, and dangerous.
Baraka teaches a film class on classic Hollywood noir from the 1940s and 1950s.
uncountable: noir (no article) as a style
The novelist borrows from noir to give her detective stories a sense of dread.
borrows / draws from + noir as a tradition
Modern Scandinavian noir often takes place in cold towns where no one trusts the police.
Christopher loves the look of noir: shadowy rooms, smoky bars, and tired faces under streetlamps.
- film noir
the specific cinema tradition; a key sub-set of noir as a whole
- hard-boiled fiction
the literary cousin; tougher and more action-driven than the wider noir style
文法句型
noir (as a style)
the noir of [period/place]
用法筆記
Uncountable in this sense, like 'jazz' or 'gothic'. Frequently follows a regional or period modifier (Scandinavian noir, French noir, neo-noir). Distinguish from sense 2, which names an individual work.
常見錯誤
2. a single book, film, or show told in this dark crime-fiction style — one work, n
a single book, film, or show told in this dark crime-fiction style — one work, not the style itself.
Talia's first novel is a slow-burn noir set in a fishing village outside Reykjavík.
a/the + noir as countable individual work
The festival showed five noirs from Argentina, each with its own twist on the genre.
plural: noirs (countable individual works)
Feng is reading a Japanese noir in which a tired detective hunts a missing pop star.
Noor recommended a short noir about a lonely taxi driver who delivers the wrong package.
- thriller
broader category; not every thriller is noir, but most noirs are thrillers
- crime drama
neutral term; a noir adds the dark, cynical style on top
文法句型
a/the noir
noirs (plural)
用法筆記
Countable in this sense (a noir, two noirs). Distinguish from sense 1: 'she loves noir' = the whole style; 'she loves this noir' = this one particular work.