plot hole
/plɒt hoʊl/
Very CommonA gap or contradiction in a story's logic that breaks the internal rules the story set up.
Often used casually for any continuity error, but technically refers to story logic that makes a plot point impossible given what the story already told you.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Why didn't they just use the eagles from the beginning? Biggest plot hole in cinema. | Pointing out that a logical solution was available but never used, making the whole story feel unnecessary. | reddit, 2023 |
| 02 | The time travel in this show is one giant plot hole. Nothing makes sense anymore. | The story's internal logic has collapsed to the point it cannot be followed consistently. | x, 2024 |
| 03 | Ok but the real plot hole is that she had her phone the whole time and never called anyone | Identifying a specific overlooked detail that breaks the story's tension. | tiktok, 2024 |
| 04 | i can accept the magic but the plot hole where he somehow knows her name halfway through ep 3 is driving me insane | Distinguishing between accepting genre conventions and a genuine continuity error. | reddit, 2023 |
Use it when
- A story contradicts something it previously established as true.
- A character forgets an ability or rule that would have solved an earlier problem.
- An event happens that should have been impossible given the story's own logic.
- You are pointing out an inconsistency in a movie or show to friends.
Do not use it when
- You just did not understand the story or missed an explanation.
- The story made a choice you disliked but that was internally consistent.
- You mean a pacing problem or a bad scene.
Plot hole vs retcon
plot hole
A plot hole is an unintentional logic gap the writers left or did not notice.
VS
retcon
A retcon is a deliberate change to established story facts, usually to fix a problem or take the story in a new direction.
Origin and context
Film and literary criticism term that entered mainstream fandom vocabulary through online forums in the 2000s. Became widely used with the rise of YouTube video essays and Reddit movie discussions.
- First seen
- 1990s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/plot-holeUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0