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TAKE THE QUIZdramatization
noun
dra·ma·ti·za·tion
ˌdra-mə-tə-ˈzā-shən 
ˌdrä-
1
: the action of dramatizing
2
: a dramatized version (as of a novel)
Example Sentences
a dramatization of a true story
Recent Examples on the Web
Reading Below Dog Day Afternoon Sidney Lumet's Dog Day Afternoon is a dramatization of the 1972 robbery of a Chase bank in Brooklyn by John Wojtowicz and Salvatore Naturile.
—
Town & Country, 28 Feb. 2023
Whereas in New York, the musical is celebrated for its dramatization of America’s founding, almost every actor interviewed here described it as a universal human story about the rise and fall of a gifted but flawed man.
—Michael Paulson, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2022
Netflix Nevertheless, Faden says this is a dramatization of the actions people with erotomania may take.
—Naydeline Mejia, Women's Health, 9 Mar. 2023
The Tony award–winning musical is a dramatization of the 1913 trial and imprisonment of Leo Frank, a Jewish man who was convicted of the rape and murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan amid a growing wave of anti-Semitism in Georgia.
—Emlyn Travis, EW.com, 22 Feb. 2023
Instead of fulfilling its potential for greatness, Chippendales settles for being merely good—and is sure to leave some viewers with the uncomfortable sense of having delighted in a dramatization of real people’s death and heartbreak.
—Time, 17 Nov. 2022
On top of executive producing, Pinkett Smith will narrate the series, which plays out as part dramatization, part historical documentary in four episodes.
—Rivea Ruff, Essence, 18 Jan. 2023
Diop’s distinctive dramatization of the trial—and its impact on Rama—arises from France’s specific judicial practices, in which defendants are subject to direct questioning by judges as well as by prosecutors and defense attorneys.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2023
As a dramatization of the misogynist tendency to blame men’s actions on women — the same tendency that made Eve responsible for Adam eating from the tree of knowledge — the movie contains a kernel of emotional truth.
—Katie Rife, Vulture, 23 May 2022
See More
Town & Country, 28 Feb. 2023
Whereas in New York, the musical is celebrated for its dramatization of America’s founding, almost every actor interviewed here described it as a universal human story about the rise and fall of a gifted but flawed man.
—Michael Paulson, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2022
Netflix Nevertheless, Faden says this is a dramatization of the actions people with erotomania may take.
—Naydeline Mejia, Women's Health, 9 Mar. 2023
The Tony award–winning musical is a dramatization of the 1913 trial and imprisonment of Leo Frank, a Jewish man who was convicted of the rape and murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan amid a growing wave of anti-Semitism in Georgia.
—Emlyn Travis, EW.com, 22 Feb. 2023
Instead of fulfilling its potential for greatness, Chippendales settles for being merely good—and is sure to leave some viewers with the uncomfortable sense of having delighted in a dramatization of real people’s death and heartbreak.
—Time, 17 Nov. 2022
On top of executive producing, Pinkett Smith will narrate the series, which plays out as part dramatization, part historical documentary in four episodes.
—Rivea Ruff, Essence, 18 Jan. 2023
Diop’s distinctive dramatization of the trial—and its impact on Rama—arises from France’s specific judicial practices, in which defendants are subject to direct questioning by judges as well as by prosecutors and defense attorneys.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2023
As a dramatization of the misogynist tendency to blame men’s actions on women — the same tendency that made Eve responsible for Adam eating from the tree of knowledge — the movie contains a kernel of emotional truth.
—Katie Rife, Vulture, 23 May 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dramatization.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1796, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing dramatization
Dictionary Entries Near dramatization
Cite this Entry
“Dramatization.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dramatization. Accessed 31 Mar. 2023.
Medical Definition
dramatization
noun
dra·ma·ti·za·tion
variants
or British dramatisation
: the transformation which in psychoanalytic theory the underlying dream thoughts undergo into dramatic and pictorial form before they can take part in the actual dream
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