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

In 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

In 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

It 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

Examples of world-building 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.

Chu’s vibrant world-building is a significant part of that. —

David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Nov. 2024 What that means is two-fold: a series that captures Game of Thrones’s extensive, fantasy world-building and the drama of political succession and a show dropping on HBO’s premier Sunday night spot that everyone wants to talk about the morning after. —

Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 18 Nov. 2024 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 See all Example Sentences for world-building

Word History

First Known Use

1983, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of world-building was in 1983

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“World-building.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/world-building. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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