dramatize

verb

dra·​ma·​tize ˈdra-mə-ˌtīz  ˈdrä- 

dramatized; dramatizing

transitive verb

1

: to adapt (something, such as a novel) for theatrical presentation

2

: to present or represent in a dramatic manner

intransitive verb

1

: to be suitable for dramatization

2

: to behave dramatically

dramatizable

ˈdra-mə-ˌtī-zə-bəl 

ˈdrä-

adjective

Examples of dramatize in a Sentence

The movie dramatizes her early life.

The book is dramatized in a new play.

I know I tend to dramatize things but it really was awful.

She cited a series of statistics to dramatize the seriousness of the problem.

This tragedy dramatizes the need for improvements in highway safety.

Recent Examples on the Web

Following Collins’s lead, Whitaker, McMillan, and her co-screenwriter Ronald Bass dramatized a cohort of women seeking ecstatic experiences of their own. —Niela Orr, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025

The show has been at the center of a firestorm before, one that was dramatized in Michael Mann’s 1999 thriller The Insider. —Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 22 Dec. 2025

In 1985, this beloved board game got the silver screen treatment, with a film and set design dramatizing its intrigue and mystery. —Nathan Smith, Architectural Digest, 22 Dec. 2025

Does your child tend to dramatize life events, painstakingly detail their life on social media, or seek constant attention and validation—especially online? —Sherri Gordon, Parents, 20 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

dramat-, stem in derivation of drama + -ize

First Known Use

1762, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for dramatize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• agonize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize

Kids Definition

dramatize

verb

dram·​a·​tize

ˈdram-ə-ˌtīz, 

ˈdräm-

1

: to make into a drama

2

: to present or represent in a dramatic manner

dramatization

ˌdram-ət-ə-ˈzā-shən, 

ˌdräm-

noun