narrate

verb

nar·​rate ˈner-ˌāt 

ˈna-ˌrat, 

na-ˈrāt 

narrated; narrating

transitive verb

: to tell (a story) in detail

The children enjoyed the lively manner with which she narrated her life's story.

also : to provide spoken commentary for (something, such as a movie or television show)

The documentary is narrated by a famous actor.

narrator

ˈner-ˌā-tər 

ˈna-ˌrā-, 

na-ˈrā-, 

nə-;

ˈner-ə-, 

ˈna-rə-

noun

Synonyms of narrate

• describe
• tell
• recount
• chronicle
• relate

Examples of narrate in a Sentence

The author narrates her story in great detail.

a documentary narrated by a famous actor

Recent Examples on the Web

The majority of the stories are narrated by Yunior, a young Dominican immigrant. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Oct. 2026

Still, narrating an audiobook is a unique kind of performance, one every A-list author treats differently. — Brian Raftery, Vanity Fair, 6 Oct. 2026

Annette Badland’s voice narrates the end of the episode, with Isaac giving Beard a precious haircut, handed an electric razor by Will the Kitman (Charlie Hiscock). — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026

Covering roughly 430,556 square feet of galleries and surrounded by a 1,205,557 square foot park, the building narrates the nation’s geology, pearl-trading heritage, and rapid modernization through immersive exhibits. — Kieron Marchese, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin narratus, past participle of narrare, from Latin gnarus knowing; akin to Latin gnoscere, noscere to know — more at know

First Known Use

1656, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for narrate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Kids Definition

narrate

verb

nar·​rate ˈna(ə)r-ˌāt  na-ˈrāt 

narrated; narrating

: relate sense 1, tell

narrate a story

narrator

ˈna(ə)r-ˌāt-ər 

na-ˈrāt-, 

nə-;

ˈnar-ət-

noun