THEME Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

theme

noun

ˈthēm

Definition of theme

as in topic

a major object of interest or concern (as in a discussion or artistic composition) this dance piece deals with the timeless themes of birth and death

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in article

a short piece of writing done as a school exercise please write a one page theme on the main character of this book

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in essay

a short piece of writing typically expressing a point of view the magazine will award a scholarship to the student who writes the best theme on the concept of personal freedom

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of theme Given the religious theme, the track list itself also includes one head-scratcher. — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2026 His output more closely resembles that of an old studio film director’s than of a typical contemporary literary novelist, with certain themes and preoccupations reappearing across books of otherwise disparate subject matter. — Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026 Final Thoughts One of the common themes running through many of these threats is that often there is an individual who knows about a vulnerability but fails to report it. — Steve Durbin, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026 The song’s theme of losing oneself during a night out also carries into the music video, which Sivan directed with Gordon von Steiner. — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for theme

Recent Examples of Synonyms for theme

Noun

That is a curiosity when the topic is which chatbot writes a better limerick.

— Puneet Gaur, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Users complete a questionnaire covering typical first-date topics, including interests, habits, preferences, and values.

— Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of topic

Noun

Information for this article was contributed by Chinedu Asadu of The Associated Press.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
An article published by the American Academy of Family Physicians recommends operating below maximum capacity to leave room in provider schedules for last-minute patients and emergencies.

— Ajay Prasad, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of article

Noun

She is aided by the subsequent coverage of the online backlash to her essay, including the opinion pieces by Craven and Davidson.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
The book features essays by, or conversations with, musicians about the albums that had a huge influence on them, but may otherwise be underrated or unknown.

— Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of essay

Noun

Its winding path — and its goose motif — serve as the inspiration for Fortunae, Ginori 1735’s latest collection of collectible porcelain and home decor.

— Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026
Rooms feature lanais, rattan furniture, and carpeting with bamboo motifs.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of motif

Noun

He was arrested in Baltimore in March 2025 after picking up his then-5-year-old son, who has autism and other disabilities, from his grandmother's house, according to court papers.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
That paper, called EquiOx, was intended to help researchers understand why pulse oximeters overestimated blood oxygen levels in patients with darker skin tones.

— Anil Oza, STAT, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of paper

Noun

Furnari recalled that some of the song’s early music and lyrics came together quickly, but writing words that could do justice to their experience was another matter.

— Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 4 Oct. 2026
This achievement could give scientists a new way to control how light interacts with matter, study extremely fast quantum processes, and eventually distinguish molecules that are mirror images of each other.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of matter

Noun

There was a period where airspace was closed in the Gulf after the Iran conflict began, and then questions about whether the region’s growth story would be interrupted.

— Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
In the end, creation stories feels a bit like an internal pep talk for which an audience didn’t necessarily need to be present.

— Sara Holdren, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of story

Noun

His office did not immediately respond to questions from The Associated Press regarding a possible snap election.

— JOSEPH WILSON, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
The question should be how technology can make returning it cheap enough that the government no longer has an excuse.

— Mark Lewyn, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of question

Browse Nearby Words

(the) masses

theme

themes

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Theme.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/theme. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of theme

noun

Example Sentences

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