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 juxtaposition of Prikryl’s family with Cordelia’s reveals the overlap of tragedy, fairy tale, and soap opera. — Langdon Hammer, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026

On Saturday Night Live, host Inde Navarrette and Marcello Hernández played two Spanish soap opera actors tasked with working a product placement into their scene, but end up getting each take wrong—dramatically so. — William Vaillancourt, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2026

Teaming up for another sketch, Navarrette and Hernandez play Spanish soap opera stars who are asked to work product placement for Sprite Cherry Lime Habanero into their scene, which goes disastrously for the brand. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2026

Robert Kelker-Kelly’s cause of death has been revealed weeks after the soap opera star died at 62. — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 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