narrate

UK: /nəˈreɪt/ US: /ˈnæreɪt, næˈreɪt/ ,(nar′āt, na rāt′)

Inflections of 'narrate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

narrates

v 3rd person singular

narrating

v pres p

narrated

v past

narrated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

nar•rate /ˈnæreɪt, næˈreɪt/   v. [~ + object] , -rat•ed, -rat•ing. 

1. to give an account of (events, experiences, etc.).
2. to add a spoken background or commentary to (a film, television program, etc.).

nar•ra•tion /næˈreɪʃən/  n. 

[uncountable] the skill of narration.

[countable] narrations of his experiences.

nar•ra•tor, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

nar•rate  (nar′āt, na rāt′), v., -rat•ed, -rat•ing. 
v.t. 

1. to give an account or tell the story of (events, experiences, etc.).
2. to add a spoken commentary to (a film, television program, etc.):
   to narrate a slide show.

v.i. 

3. to relate or recount events, experiences, etc., in speech or writing.

• Latin narrātus (past participle of narrāre to relate, tell, say), equivalent. to nār(us) knowing, acquainted with (variant of gnārus; see cognition) + -ātus -ate¹
• 1650–60;

nar′rat•a•ble, adj. 
nar•ra•tor, nar•rat•er  (nar′ā tər, na rā′-, nar′ə-), n.  Synonyms

• 1. detail, recite. See describe. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

narrate / nəˈreɪt/ verb

1. to tell (a story); relate
2. to speak in accompaniment of (a film, television programme, etc)

Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin narrāre to recount, from gnārus knowing

narˈratable adjective