Types of story or play

a film, TV programme 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, film, 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

cautionary tale (noun)

a story or series of events in which something bad happens that you can use as a warning for the future

classic (noun)

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

cock and bull story (noun)

informal a story that is silly and difficult to believe

comedy (noun)

a funny film, play or television programme

comedy of manners (noun)

a play, film, television programme etc that shows the behaviour of people belonging to a particular social class in a humorous way

detective (noun)

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

drama (noun)

a play for the theatre, television, or radio

epic (noun)

a long book or film 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, film, or television programme 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 film 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, film, or article that is based on or develops an earlier one

fringe theatre (noun)

British plays, usually performed in small theatres, that are not traditional in their style or subject matter

full-length (adjective)

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

ghost story (noun)

a frightening story about ghosts

hit (noun)

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

horror (noun)

cinema books and films 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 film 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 film in which there are a lot of songs

mystery (noun)

a story, film, 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

non-fiction (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

panto (noun)

Britishinformal a pantomime for children

pantomime (noun)

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

pantomime (noun)

mime

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 theatre or on television or the radio

prequel (noun)

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

psychodrama (noun)

theatrecinema a play or film about people’s feelings

reminiscence (noun)

formal stories or thoughts of past experiences

romantic comedy (noun)

a film or TV show that deals with love in a light-hearted way

romcom (noun)

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

romp (noun)

a film, 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, film etc that uses this humour

screenplay (noun)

a story someone writes for a film

sequel (noun)

literature a book, film, 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, film, 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, film etc

sub-plot (noun)

a story in a novel or film that is separate from the main story and is not as important as the main story

tableau (noun)

theatre a form of silent theatre 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 story (noun)

Britishinformal something that someone tells you that sounds so exciting, dangerous, unpleasant etc that you do not believe it is true. The American word is tall tale.

tearjerker (noun)

informal a sad film or story that makes you cry

thriller (noun)

a book, play, or film 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, films, or plays

turkey (noun)

informal a film 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 film, play, novel etc that has emotional scenes that make people cry

weepy ()

another spelling of weepie

yarn (noun)

informal a long story with a lot of exciting details

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