fourth wall

noun

: an imaginary wall (as at the opening of a modern stage proscenium) that keeps performers from recognizing or directly addressing their audience

Examples of fourth wall in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The characters weren’t breaking the fourth wall, but there was a lot of irony in the joke-telling. Jamie Lang, Variety, 19 June 2025 Actors will break the fourth wall at times and some will play instruments. David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 June 2025 Authorial interludes can feel like interruptions, but by breaking the fourth wall, Reva forces us to pay attention to the ongoing devastation behind the narrative while unpacking the compromises of storytelling. Carole V. Bell, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025 Instead, the episodes veer into absurd, cheekily bizarre directions, breaking the fourth wall at every opportunity. Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 31 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for fourth wall

Word History

First Known Use

1807, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fourth wall was in 1807

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Cite this Entry

“Fourth wall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fourth%20wall. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.

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