exposition
noun
ex·po·si·tion
ˌek-spə-ˈzi-shən 
1
: a setting forth of the meaning or purpose (as of a writing)
2
a
: discourse or an example of it designed to convey information or explain what is difficult to understand
b(1)
: the first part of a musical composition in sonata form in which the thematic material of the movement is presented
(2)
: the opening section of a fugue
3
: a public exhibition or show
Examples of exposition in a Sentence
This is not an easy book, and the reader may find the layers of detail challenging. There are long expositions of the knotty tangles of monarchical lineage, and the necessary chronicle of historical events occasionally consumes the novel's narrative drive.
—
Lucy Lethbridge, Commonweal, 23 Oct. 2009
He is masterly in absorbing information and masterful in organizing it—skeptical of fashion, clear in exposition, fluent in communication, unremittingly scholarly.
—Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, New York Times Book Review, 11 June 2000
Although they were invited to use an early X ray machine on display at the exposition, they turned down the offer, and they never found the bullet.
—T. Burton Smith, American Heritage, September 1992
The subject requires some exposition.
a clear exposition of his ideas
Lucy Lethbridge, Commonweal, 23 Oct. 2009
He is masterly in absorbing information and masterful in organizing it—skeptical of fashion, clear in exposition, fluent in communication, unremittingly scholarly.
—Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, New York Times Book Review, 11 June 2000
Although they were invited to use an early X ray machine on display at the exposition, they turned down the offer, and they never found the bullet.
—T. Burton Smith, American Heritage, September 1992
The subject requires some exposition.
a clear exposition of his ideas
Recent Examples on the Web
There’s no exposition in the pilot.
—Dave Itzkoff, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
The exposition The Mets couldn’t finish off a sweep of the Pirates, dropping Sunday’s finale in extra innings.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
The tension necessary for effective scares is difficult to maintain over several hours; the mystery that creates suspense is hard to square with building characters and worlds through exposition.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
The burden of explaining how the hell that happened is on head housekeeper Lily (Arquette) and her husband Ray (Paterson Joseph), both of whom have a commanding enough screen presence to make the exposition bearable.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exposition
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Dave Itzkoff, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
The exposition The Mets couldn’t finish off a sweep of the Pirates, dropping Sunday’s finale in extra innings.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
The tension necessary for effective scares is difficult to maintain over several hours; the mystery that creates suspense is hard to square with building characters and worlds through exposition.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
The burden of explaining how the hell that happened is on head housekeeper Lily (Arquette) and her husband Ray (Paterson Joseph), both of whom have a commanding enough screen presence to make the exposition bearable.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exposition
Cite this Entry
“Exposition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exposition. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
exposition
noun
ex·po·si·tion
ˌek-spə-ˈzish-ən
1
: an explanation of something
2
: a piece of writing that explains
3
: the first part of a piece of music in which the theme is presented
4
: a public exhibition
expositor
noun
ik-ˈspäz-ət-ər
expository
adjective
ik-ˈspäz-ə-ˌtōr-ē,
-ˌtȯr-
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