documentary

1 of 2

adjective

doc·​u·​men·​ta·​ry ˌdä-kyə-ˈmen-tə-rē How to pronounce documentary (audio)
-ˈmen-trē, 
-kyü-
Synonyms of documentary
1
: being or consisting of documents : contained or certified in writing
documentary evidence
2
: of, relating to, or employing documentation (see documentation sense 2) in literature or art
broadly : factual, objective
a documentary film of the war
documentarily
ˌdä-kyə-mən-ˈter-ə-lē How to pronounce documentary (audio)
-ˌmen-, 
-kyü-
adverb

documentary

2 of 2

noun

plural documentaries
: a presentation (such as a film or novel) expressing or dealing with factual events : a documentary presentation

Synonyms of documentary

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Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of documentary in a Sentence

Adjective You must present documentary proof of your residence. a documentary film about the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor Noun We watched a documentary on the early history of jazz.
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.
Adjective
Our waiter, Juan, was – as all servers at Papi Steak are – quick to illuminate the kaleidoscopic dish with a pocket flashlight, apparently for documentary purposes. — Connie Ogle july 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026 The driver brings the baby to friends partying in a night club; his quandary yields existential debate in a police station, a portrait of a courthouse’s bureaucratic frenzy, and a heartrending documentary vision of an orphanage. — Rhoda Feng, New Yorker, 31 July 2026
Noun
Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino, executive producer Daniel Palladino and star Lauren Graham are all set to take part in the documentary, along with other cast and crew members. — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026 This year’s slate of 21 documentaries from 20 countries at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival leans into rising directors, along with Oscar winners Alex Gibney and Barbara Kopple. — Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for documentary

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see document entry 1

Noun

see document entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1802, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1935, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of documentary was in 1802

Rhymes for documentary

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Browse Nearby Words

documentarist
documentary
documentary bill
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Documentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/documentary. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

documentary

1 of 2 adjective
doc·​u·​men·​ta·​ry ˌdäk-yə-ˈment-ə-rē How to pronounce documentary (audio)
-ˈmen-trē
1
: consisting of documents
also : being in writing
documentary proof
2
: presenting actual events or facts about something
a documentary film
documentarily
-mən-ˈter-ə-lē How to pronounce documentary (audio)
-ˌmen-
adverb

documentary

2 of 2 noun
plural documentaries
: a documentary presentation (as a film or novel)

Legal Definition

documentary

adjective
doc·​u·​men·​ta·​ry ˌdä-kyə-ˈmen-tə-rē How to pronounce documentary (audio)
: being, consisting of, or contained in documents
documentary evidence

More from Merriam-Webster on documentary

Nglish: Translation of documentary for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about documentary

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