Types of story or play

a movie, TV program, etc. that has been made from a book or play

a story, play, or poem in which the events and characters are used as symbols in order to express a moral, religious, or political idea

anecdote (noun)

a story that you tell people about something interesting or funny that has happened to you

black comedy (noun)

a play, movie, or story that deals in a humorous way with unpleasant aspects of life such as illness and death

boy meets girl ()

a typical romantic situation or story about two people falling in love

classic (noun)

a song, book, play, television program, etc. that is very good and has been popular and had a lot of influence for a long time

cock-and-bull story (noun)

a story that is very silly and difficult to believe

comedy (noun)

a funny movie, play or television program

detective (noun)

a detective story or movie is one in which a detective tries to solve a crime

drama (noun)

a play for the theater, television, or radio

epic (noun)

a long book or movie about famous and exciting people and events from the past

fable (noun)

a traditional story, usually about animals, that teaches a moral lesson

faction (noun)

cinemainformal a story, movie, or television program that is a mixture of real and imaginary events or people

fairy tale (noun)

a traditional children’s story in which magic things happen

fanfic (noun)

informal stories for a television series written by people who watch the series regularly. The stories are published on the Internet.

fantasy (noun)

a story that shows a lot of imagination and is very different from real life

farce (noun)

theatrecinema a play or movie in which people get involved in silly or unlikely situations that are intended to make you laugh

farce (noun)

theatrecinema the style of writing and acting used for farces

fiction (noun)

books and stories about imaginary events and people. Books that give facts about real events, things, or people are called non-fiction

fiction (noun)

a report, story, or explanation that is not true

flash fiction (noun)

a style of literature in which stories are extremely short and often consist of less than 300 words

folk tale (noun)

an old traditional story

follow-up (noun)

a book, movie, or article that is based on or develops an earlier one

full-length (adjective)

a full-length book, movie, etc. is the normal length, not shorter

ghost story (noun)

a frightening story about ghosts

hit (noun)

a movie, play, or show that is very successful and popular

horror (noun)

cinema books and movies that are intended to frighten people

horror story (noun)

informal a story that is intended to frighten people

legend (noun)

an old story about famous people and events in the past. Legends are not usually true

legend (noun)

these old stories considered as a group

life history (noun)

a description of the things that have happened in someone’s life

life story (noun)

a description of all the things that have happened to someone during their life

masque (noun)

a type of play with poetry, music, dance, and songs that was popular in the 16th and 17th centuries

melodrama (noun)

a story, play, or movie in which the characters behave in an extreme emotional way, with the bad characters being very bad, the good characters being very good, etc.

mime (noun)

a play performed using mime

musical (noun)

a play or movie in which there are a lot of songs

mystery (noun)

a story, movie, or play in which events take place that are not explained until the end, especially a crime such as murder

mystery play (noun)

a play from the Middle Ages about a story in the Bible

myth (noun)

an ancient traditional story about gods, heroes, and magic

myth (noun)

ancient traditional stories

mythology (noun)

a collection of ancient myths, especially those of a particular country or religion

narrative (noun)

a story, or an account of something that has happened

nativity play (noun)

a play telling the story of the birth of Jesus Christ, usually performed by children at Christmas

nonfiction (noun)

writing that is about real people and events, not imaginary ones

novel (noun)

a long written story about imaginary or partly imaginary characters and events

old chestnut ()

a story or joke that has been repeated so often that everyone is bored with it

oral history (noun)

stories about life and events in the past that older people tell younger people

pantomime (noun)

a play or piece of acting performed in this style

pantomime (noun)

theatre in the U.K., a play for children that makes them laugh, based on a traditional story and usually performed at Christmas

parable (noun)

a simple story with a moral or religious purpose, especially one told by Jesus Christ

parody (noun)

literature a literary or musical work that copies a serious work in a humorous way

Passion play (noun)

a play about the death of Jesus Christ according to the Bible, often performed at Easter

phantasy ()

an old spelling of “fantasy”

play (noun)

theatre a piece of writing intended to be performed by actors in a theater or on television or the radio

prequel (noun)

a book or movie about events that happened before the events in another book or movie that was written or made earlier

reminiscence (noun)

formal stories or thoughts of past experiences

romantic comedy (noun)

a funny movie, play, or television program about a love story that ends happily

romcom (noun)

informal romantic comedy: a movie or TV show that deals with love in a light-hearted way

romp (noun)

a movie, play, or book that is lively and enjoyable, and not intended to be serious

saga (noun)

a story about what happens to a group of characters over a long period of time

saga (noun)

a long story written in Norway or Iceland during the Middle Ages

satire (noun)

a play, book, movie, etc. that uses this humor

screenplay (noun)

a story someone writes for a movie

sequel (noun)

literature a book, movie, play, etc. that continues the story of an earlier one

serial (noun)

a story that is broadcast or published in a series of separate parts

shocker (noun)

informal a book, movie, or play about something shocking

short story (noun)

a short piece of fiction (=writing about an imaginary situation)

story (noun)

an account of something that happened. Stories can be imaginary, traditional, or true

story (noun)

an account of something, for example someone’s life

story (noun)

the events in a book, movie, etc.

subplot (noun)

a story in a novel, movie, or play that is separate from the main story, and less important

tableau (noun)

theatre a form of silent theater in which a group of actors stand or sit in certain positions to create a picture of a historical scene

tale (noun)

a story about imaginary events or people

tall tale (noun)

Americaninformal something that someone tells you that sounds so exciting, dangerous, unpleasant, etc. that you do not believe it is true. The British word is tall story.

tearjerker (noun)

informal a sad movie or story that makes you cry

thriller (noun)

a book, play, or movie that tells an exciting story, especially about something dangerous like a crime

tragedy (noun)

literature a play in which people suffer or die, especially one in which the main character dies at the end

tragedy (noun)

theatre plays of this type

tragicomedy (noun)

a play, story, or situation that is both sad and humorous

trilogy (noun)

a series of three books, movies, or plays

turkey (noun)

informal a movie or play that is very unsuccessful

two-hander (noun)

British a play written for two actors

urban myth (noun)

an imaginary story about modern life that many people believe really happened

weepie (noun)

informal a tearjerker

yarn (noun)

informal a long story with a lot of exciting details

Synonyms and antonyms of Types of story or play in American Thesaurus