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
Three buildings survive from the exposition, among them the spectacular Palace of Fine Arts.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025
The exposition of a Tesla Cybertruck outside a Trump property in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day is now believed to be the result of suicide by an Army service member who had been struggling with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), according to the FBI.
—Anna Giaritelli, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 4 Jan. 2025
Adler demonstrated a belief in the importance of cultural exchange by organizing the United States exhibits at the expositions in Cincinnati (1889); Chicago (1893); Atlanta (1895); and St. Louis (1904).
—arkansasonline.com, 7 Dec. 2024
The opening episode manages these tasks with a briskness that prevents the exposition from slowing the episode down or from dulling its impact.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for exposition 
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Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025
The exposition of a Tesla Cybertruck outside a Trump property in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day is now believed to be the result of suicide by an Army service member who had been struggling with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), according to the FBI.
—Anna Giaritelli, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 4 Jan. 2025
Adler demonstrated a belief in the importance of cultural exchange by organizing the United States exhibits at the expositions in Cincinnati (1889); Chicago (1893); Atlanta (1895); and St. Louis (1904).
—arkansasonline.com, 7 Dec. 2024
The opening episode manages these tasks with a briskness that prevents the exposition from slowing the episode down or from dulling its impact.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for exposition
Dictionary Entries Near exposition
Cite this Entry
“Exposition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exposition. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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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