denouement
7 synonyms and 2 antonyms for denouement, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The final part of a play, film or novel, after the climax, in which the remaining questions are answered and the plot is tied up.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
The final part of a play, film or novel, after the climax, in which the remaining questions are answered and the plot is tied up.
“The murder is solved in chapter twenty, and the denouement runs for another thirty pages.”
Opposites
2. noun
The way a complicated real-life situation finally works out.
“The denouement of the takeover battle surprised everyone in the City.”
How to Use Denouement
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Formal and literary. Often written with the French accent as dénouement; both spellings are accepted in English.
Etymology
From French dénouement 'an untying', from dénouer 'to untie', ultimately from Latin nodus 'knot'.
Full origin of denouement →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the climax and the denouement?
The climax is the peak of the tension, the moment the central conflict comes to a head. The denouement is everything after it, in which consequences play out and loose ends are tied. A thriller's climax is the confrontation; its denouement is the explanation and the aftermath.
How do you pronounce denouement?
It keeps its French shape: roughly day-noo-MAHN, with a nasal final syllable and no hard 't' sound at the end.
Is a denouement the same as an epilogue?
Not quite. The denouement is part of the main story and resolves it. An epilogue is a separate closing section, often set later in time, that comments on what happened. A story can have a denouement without an epilogue.