world-building
noun
world-build·ing
ˈwərl(d)-ˈbil-diŋ 
variants
or less commonly world building
or worldbuilding
: the creation of a fictional world (especially within the science fiction and fantasy genres) that is believable and consistent within the context of the story
The game pushes the limits of the PS4 graphically and packs so much mythos and backstory into its world-building that at times it feels more like a novel than a video game.—
Patrick Shanley
Patrick ShanleyIn my opinion, no one does world-building as well as Kate Elliott. It's subtle … but the world, culture, and societies she creates feel solid. If you think about them when you close the book, you can see how they could work; how the economics could work, how the governing could work, how the cultures formed.—Michelle West
Michelle WestIn postapocalyptic stories, world building typically emphasizes the new reality: new vocabulary to learn, new systems of government to understand, new social norms to parse.—Shirley Li
Shirley LiIt sounds like a lot to take in, but "The Sandman" neatly avoids many genre show pitfalls. While at times its premise and worldbuilding do feel a bit murky, for the most part, it's even less confusing for a layman to get into than other sprawling similar shows such as "Westworld" or "The Witcher."—Lauren Sarner
Lauren SarnerExamples of world-building in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Which is too bad, because the movie’s striking futuristic aesthetic, its layered world-building, its epic, expansive cinematography are all ingredients for a great blockbuster.
—Travis Bean, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024
None of this should be surprising though, given that Cain demonstrated her flair for the dramatic and for world-building during the Preacher’s Daughter album cycle.
—James Factora, Them, 1 Nov. 2024
Genre fiction is harder than people want to give it credit for, partly because 90 percent of it is world-building.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2024
According to Howard, who was creatively involved with the Fallout show, the success or failure of these adaptations ultimately boils down to telling great stories with respect to the existing lore and world-building.
—George Yang, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2024
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Travis Bean, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024
None of this should be surprising though, given that Cain demonstrated her flair for the dramatic and for world-building during the Preacher’s Daughter album cycle.
—James Factora, Them, 1 Nov. 2024
Genre fiction is harder than people want to give it credit for, partly because 90 percent of it is world-building.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2024
According to Howard, who was creatively involved with the Fallout show, the success or failure of these adaptations ultimately boils down to telling great stories with respect to the existing lore and world-building.
—George Yang, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for world-building
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Cite this Entry
“World-building.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/world-building. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
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