Meaning & use
synopsis
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Meaning
nouncountable
A short account that gives the main points of a longer work such as a book, film or proposal.
Grammar: Plural is synopses: write a synopsis; three synopses.
Patterns
- a synopsis of something
- a synopsis for something
The publisher asked her to send a one-page synopsis of the novel.
I read the synopsis on the back of the DVD before deciding to watch.
Please include a short synopsis of your research plan.
Word forms
| plural | synopses |
|---|
Common combinations
- brief synopsis
- Write a brief synopsis of the plot, no longer than a paragraph.
- plot synopsis
- The plot synopsis gives away the ending, so skip it if you want a surprise.
- submit a synopsis
- Authors must submit a synopsis along with three sample chapters.
- synopsis of the film
- The synopsis of the film made it sound much duller than it was.
Synonyms and how they differ
- summary
- A summary is the general word for a shortened account, while a synopsis is mostly used for stories and creative or formal proposals.
- outline
- An outline lists the main structure or points, often before a work is finished, whereas a synopsis tells the content in prose.
- abstract
- An abstract is a short summary of an academic paper, a narrower and more scholarly use than synopsis.
Word family
- synoptic adjective
- Giving a general view of the whole subject.
- synopses noun
- The plural of synopsis.
- synopsize verb
- To make a synopsis of something.
Commonly confused: synopsis or synonym?
synopsis vs synonym
A synonym is a word with the same meaning as another. A synopsis is a summary of a longer work.
Practice
Before reading the whole book, Dana skimmed a one-page ___ to find out what it was about.
Choose one answer.
A synopsis is a short account of a book's content. Synonym, syndrome and synthesis sound similar but have different meanings.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “synopsis”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.