Meaning & use
retcons
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Revises previously established facts in an ongoing story, especially by introducing new information that reinterprets past events.
See it in a sentence
The new film retcons the villain's origin to make him more sympathetic.
Fans complained when the show retcons a major character's death from an earlier season.
A note on using this word
A blend of 'retroactive continuity,' the term arose in comic-book fan culture in the 1970s-80s and has since spread to TV, film, and games.
Words with a similar meaning
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Another way to use it
2. noun
Instances of retroactively altering established facts within a fictional continuity.
The series is full of retcons that contradict earlier episodes.
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