fourth wall

noun

: an imaginary wall (as at the opening of a modern stage proscenium) that keeps performers from recognizing or directly addressing their audience

Examples of fourth wall in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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To transition between scenes, the camera frequently pans from an interior to an exterior and vice versa as characters walk from one set to another, aiming less to break the fourth wall than to capture an instant sense of displacement. Ryan Swen, Variety, 11 Mar. 2025 Meghan breaks the fourth wall to share treats with the camera crew, presumably in a bid to make With Love feel unstuffy, but nothing would have been fuzzier or more authentic than filming in the comfort of her actual house. Michelle Ruiz, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2025 Moonlighting frequently broke the fourth wall, with many of the episodes featuring the actors facing the cameras and making direct references to the audience, the scriptwriters, the network and the series itself. Marc Berman, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025 By Judy Berman February 6, 2025 2:59 PM EST Early in her new Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar, its star, Kaitlyn Dever, breaks the fourth wall. Judy Berman, TIME, 6 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fourth wall

Word History

First Known Use

1807, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fourth wall was in 1807

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Cite this Entry

“Fourth wall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fourth%20wall. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.

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