# sequel

/ˈsikwəɫ/ (US) · /sˈiːkwəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sequel
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. film or book

noun · CEFR B1

a book, film, or play that continues a story started in an earlier one.

For teachers: a narrative work that continues the story or develops the theme of an earlier one.

- The first movie was a huge success, so the studio quickly filmed a sequel.
- Critics argued that the sequel failed to capture the original film's charm, despite having a significantly larger production budget.

### 2. a consequence

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

something that happens as a result of an earlier event.

For teachers: a circumstance or event that follows as a consequence or result of a previous occurrence.

- The riots were a tragic sequel to the disputed election results.
- The economic downturn was a painful sequel to years of reckless lending and insufficient market regulation.

### 3. later in a text

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic · Formal

the part of a piece of writing that follows later.

For teachers: the remainder of a text or discourse; frequently used in the phrase 'in the sequel' to refer to subsequent sections of an argument.

- As we shall see in the sequel, this theory has several flaws.
- The author introduces the primary characters in the opening chapter and develops their complex motivations further in the sequel.

Usage: Almost exclusively used in the fixed phrase 'in the sequel'.

## Examples

- The sequel to the movie is even better than the first one.
- Fans waited three years for the sequel to the bestselling novel to finally hit the shelves.
- While many critics dismissed the sequel as a commercial cash-in, others praised its ambitious attempt to deconstruct the themes established in the original film.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.