melodramatic

adjective

melo·​dra·​mat·​ic ˌme-lə-drə-ˈma-tik 

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of melodrama

a luridly melodramatic script

2

: appealing to the emotions : sensational

the fund-raiser's desperate, melodramatic appeal for more donations

melodramatically

ˌme-lə-drə-ˈma-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• dramatic
• hammy
• histrionic
• stagy
• stagey
• theatrical
• theatric

Choose the Right Synonym for melodramatic

dramatic, theatrical, histrionic, melodramatic mean having a character or an effect like that of acted plays.

dramatic applies to situations in life and literature that stir the imagination and emotions deeply.

a dramatic meeting of world leaders

theatrical implies a crude appeal through artificiality or exaggeration in gesture or vocal expression.

a theatrical oration

histrionic applies to tones, gestures, and motions and suggests a deliberate affectation or staginess.

a histrionic show of grief

melodramatic suggests an exaggerated emotionalism or an inappropriate theatricalism.

made a melodramatic plea

Examples of melodramatic in a Sentence

Oh, quit being so melodramatic!

Recent Examples on the Web

Yet these persuasive quiet bits sit within the larger shape of a book that was meant to be melodramatic and violent. —Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 9 June 2025

Jude Law, Vanessa Kirby, Ana de Armas, Sydney Sweeney, and Daniel Brühl are among the stars gone enjoyably unhinged for this true story of melodramatic conflict among the European settlers of a Galápagos island. —A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 20 May 2025

Scandal, known for its rapid pacing, melodramatic turns, and signature monologues, originally aired in the 2010s and quickly became a defining entry in the primetime drama landscape. —Tahar Rajab, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 May 2025

Normally suits are dry reading but this one has melodramatic flair. —Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 19 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for melodramatic

• adiabatic
• aristocratic
• asymptomatic
• axiomatic
• diagrammatic
• diaphragmatic
• electrostatic
• endolymphatic
• epigrammatic
• homeostatic
• idiomatic
• magnetostatic

Kids Definition

melodramatic

adjective

melo·​dra·​mat·​ic ˌmel-ə-drə-ˈmat-ik 

1

: of or relating to melodrama

2

: resembling or suitable for melodrama : sensational

melodramatically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb