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narrate

/ˌnɛˈreɪt/
/ˈnʌreɪt/
IPA guide

Other forms: narrated; narrating; narrates

When you tell a story or describe something out loud, you narrate. You might hire a well-known actor to narrate your documentary film about circus elephants.

One way to narrate is to comment on or describe visual images — photographs or scenes in a film, for example. You can also narrate a story simply by relaying the details aloud. In books, a character sometimes narrates the story as well. It appears that narration, or the action of telling a story, came before narrate, from the Latin root narrare, "to tell, relate, or recount," or literally, "to make acquainted with."

Definitions of narrate
  1. verb
    provide commentary for a film, for example
    see moresee less
    type of:
    inform
    impart knowledge of some fact, state or affairs, or event to
  2. verb
    narrate or give a detailed account of
    synonyms: recite, recount, tell
    see moresee less
    types:
    relate
    give an account of
    crack
    tell spontaneously
    yarn
    tell or spin a yarn
    rhapsodise, rhapsodize
    recite an epic poem
    type of:
    inform
    impart knowledge of some fact, state or affairs, or event to
Pronunciation
US
/ˌnɛˈreɪt/
UK
/ˈnʌreɪt/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘narrate'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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