Meaning & use
subplot
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Meaning
nouncountable
A second story that runs alongside the main story in a book, play, or film.
Grammar: Countable: use a/an or the, and a plural -s when talking about more than one.
Patterns
- a subplot of a book/film
- the main plot and its subplots
- a subplot involving someone
The novel's main story is about a missing child, but a subplot follows the detective's troubled marriage.
Critics praised the film for its clever subplot about the two neighbors.
The play has several subplots that all come together in the final scene.
Word forms
| plural | subplots |
|---|
Common combinations
- a minor subplot
- A minor subplot about the dog adds some humor to the serious story.
- a romantic subplot
- The movie is a thriller, but it has a romantic subplot between the two spies.
- develop a subplot
- The author takes time to develop a subplot about the village teacher.
- a subplot involving someone/something
- There's a subplot involving a stolen painting that keeps you guessing.
Synonyms and how they differ
- secondary plot
- A more formal or descriptive term; 'subplot' is the usual word in everyday discussion of stories.
- side story
- Similar meaning but less common in literary analysis; it often suggests a story that is more separate from the main one.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: subplot or plot? subplot or subtext?
subplot vs plot
A plot is the main story; a subplot is a secondary story that supports or contrasts with it.
subplot vs subtext
Subtext is an implied meaning beneath the surface of a story; a subplot is an actual secondary storyline.
Practice
In the movie, a ______ about the hero's childhood helps us understand why he acts the way he does.
Choose one answer.
'Subplot' fits because it is a secondary storyline. 'Subtext' is an implied meaning, not a story; 'plot' is the main story; 'subtitle' is text on screen.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “subplot”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.