through line

noun

variants or throughline or less commonly through-line
: a common or consistent element or theme shared by items in a series or by parts of a whole
But Kent's latest nonetheless reveals a fascinating through line in her work, which centers on, as she puts it, "disrespect for the feminine"—and the inciting power of female rage.Rachel Handler
Vang was born in a refugee camp in Thailand, and came to the United States in the late 1980s. For him and his family, food was the throughline keeping them connected to their culture, wherever they were.Sharyn Jackson
Perverse moments like these are a throughline in Decker's work. The Texas native specializes in "bad" desires—awkward wants that tend to go unexpressed, or which otherwise seem too compromising to confess even to oneself.K. Austin Collins
Unlike Tokyo's great shopping thoroughfares, which have a certain logical through-line (if not aesthetic, at least socioeconomic), Osaka's arcades are mismatched, high-low jumbles of retail diversions.Simon Dumenco

Examples of through line in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Because all that most people remember is Musk fumbling through lines while dressed as Wario. Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2024 The through line among La Pelle’s three single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons—Saint Helena Alluvium Vineyard, Coombsville La Ceniza Vineyard, and Oak Knoll District Red Hen Vineyard—is Koschitky’s hand in the winery. Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2024 That was a through line that meant a great deal to me. Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2024 This attempt to coax a conventional romantic through line out of the madness doesn’t really work, partly because Reitman and co-writer Gil Kenan have otherwise done a fine job of making clear how unconventional this whole situation was. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for through line 

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of through line was in 1936

Dictionary Entries Near through line

Cite this Entry

“Through line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/through%20line. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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