fourth wall

noun

: an imaginary wall (as at the opening of a modern stage proscenium) that keeps performers from recognizing or directly addressing their audience

Examples of fourth wall 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.
Coming out of the flashback, Juliette and Sims are looking directly at each other, breaking the fourth wall; the camera playing their perspective. — Daron James, IndieWire, 31 July 2026 Actors have broken the fourth wall since long before the term existed, turning to the audience to acknowledge the artifice of playing out private crises under public scrutiny. — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 29 July 2026 From the very first confessional in episode one, Schroeder breaks the fourth wall by stopping mid-interview to have a conversation with the producers about which footage to show. — Anna Moeslein, Glamour, 28 July 2026 In the movie, Broderick played Ferris, a teenage troublemaker who breaks the rules — and the fourth wall. — Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for fourth wall

Word History

First Known Use

1807, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fourth wall was in 1807

Rhymes for fourth wall

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Browse Nearby Words

fourth trimester
fourth wall
fourth world
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Cite this Entry

“Fourth wall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fourth%20wall. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on fourth wall

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fourth wall

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