denouement

noun

de·​noue·​ment ˌdā-ˌnü-ˈmäⁿ  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

2

: 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

DeGeneres quips about getting into gardening and raising chickens, before offering glimpses of her take on what went down during her bumpy denouement. —Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2024

The film’s only explicit reference to race arrives in the denouement, when Ma treats each of her teen victims to their own personal punishment. —Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 4 Sep. 2024

Had these details aligned, there could have been an impactful denouement. —Courtney Howard, Variety, 15 Aug. 2024

What the lama has in mind for the arms remains uncertain until the film’s denouement. —Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

French dénouement, literally, untying, from Middle French desnouement, from desnouer to untie, from Old French desnoer, from des- de- + noer to tie, from Latin nodare, from nodus knot — more at node

First Known Use

1705, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

denouement

noun

de·​noue·​ment ˌdā-ˌnü-ˈmän  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