soap opera

noun

1

a

: a serial drama performed originally on a daytime radio or television program and chiefly characterized by tangled interpersonal situations and melodramatic or sentimental treatment

b

: a series of real-life events resembling a soap opera

2

: the melodrama and sentimentality characteristic of a soap opera

even cops need a little soap opera in their lives

—Joseph Wambaugh

also : something (such as a novel) having such qualities

soap-operatic

ˈsōp-ˌä-pə-ˈra-tik 

adjective

Synonyms

• corn
• sludge

Examples of soap opera in a Sentence

She loves to watch daytime soap operas.

the movie started out well, but quickly devolved into improbable soap opera

Recent Examples on the Web

The Young and the Restless just added another soap opera veteran to its ensemble. —Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 28 Aug. 2025

Braun is no stranger to soap opera fans, having already appeared on the other three major shows. —Carson Blackwelder, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025

The Greek gods, for instance, were not paragons of virtue but soap opera characters with divine superpowers. —Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025

The 50-year-old former Playboy model posted photos from her recent vacation to the Bahamas on Instagram, which included a photo of her and her boyfriend, soap opera star, Greg Vaughan, on the beach. —Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

from its sponsorship by soap manufacturers

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

soap opera

noun

: a radio or television drama presented in a series of continuing stories and characters and intended to appeal to the emotions

Etymology

so called because the advertisers on these programs were usually soap manufacturers