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 of soap opera

• sludge
• corn

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 show’s one and only joke is that the story is played more or less straight and true to the language of soap operas with pregnant pauses, cheesy music cues, and melodramatic reveals — which is funny for a few scenes before turning into a laughless bore. —Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026

Like most soap operas, long hours and intense pacing are part of the job. —Shelby Stewart, Essence, 17 Mar. 2026

Following a devastating turn on The Wire, Jordan played up the drama on the ABC soap opera All My Children. —Ken Simmons, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026

Thus far, Chinese companies like ReelShort have made a killing with trashy, soap opera-grade projects done in vertical videos of just a couple of minutes in length, all of which are designed to be addictive and sold to viewers in micro-transactions. —Brian Welk, IndieWire, 12 Mar. 2026

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