Phrase guide

the plot thickens

phrase · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

phrase

Meaning 1

Used to describe an increasingly complex or mysterious situation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: humorous, idiomatic, often

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: curiouser and curiouser

History

Etymology

From the satirical play The Rehearsal. First attested in 1671.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: تتشربك الْمُؤَامَرَة — used to describe an increasingly complex or mysterious situation
  • Finnish: juoni tiivistyy — used to describe an increasingly complex or mysterious situation
  • French: le mystère s'épaissit — used to describe an increasingly complex or mysterious situation
  • Georgian: ინტრიგა ღრმავდება (inṭriga ɣrmavdeba) — used to describe an increasingly complex or mysterious situation
  • Georgian: სიუჟეტი რთულდება (siužeṭi rtuldeba) — used to describe an increasingly complex or mysterious situation
  • Portuguese: a coisa se complica — used to describe an increasingly complex or mysterious situation
  • Russian: сюже́т закру́чивается (sjužét zakrúčivajetsja) — used to describe an increasingly complex or mysterious situation