theatrical

adjective the·at·ri·cal \ thē-ˈa-tri-kəl \

variants: or less commonly theatric play \thē-ˈa-trik\

Updated on: 21 Apr 2018

Definition of theatrical

1 : of or relating to the theater or the presentation of plays

a theatrical costume

2 : marked by pretense or artificiality of emotion

3 a : histrionic

a theatrical gesture

b : marked by extravagant display or exhibitionism

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theatricalism

play \thē-ˈa-tri-kə-ˌli-zəm\ noun

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theatricality

play \thē-ˌa-trə-ˈka-lə-tē\ noun

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theatrically

play \thē-ˈa-tri-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

See theatrical defined for English-language learners

See theatrical defined for kids

Examples of theatrical in a Sentence

a politician who has a highly theatrical manner of speaking
after stepping out of their hired limousine, the prom couple made a theatrical entrance in their evening clothes

Recent Examples of theatrical from the Web

Maybe five shows, in Charlotte’s harsh theatrical climate.

— lawrence toppman, charlotteobserver, "Where to find an unusual, offbeat show? How about in this dress shop? Coming up: ‘Sherlock’ | Charlotte Observer," 17 Apr. 2018
The festival consists of different theatrical genres and the atmosphere is enriched by various parallel events such as workshops, concerts, exhibitions meetings and discussions.

— matthew j. palm, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Mad Cow's 'View from the Bridge' invited to Albanian theater festival," 17 Apr. 2018
The company would still be offering consumers a choice between a theatrical and home-viewing experience.

— david sims, The Atlantic, "What's at Stake in Cannes's Battle With Netflix," 16 Apr. 2018
Some theatrical screenings will be for women and their family members, and others for men only.

— erich schwartzel, WSJ, "‘Black Panther’ in Saudi Arabia? Hollywood Sweeps Into Islamic Kingdom," 16 Apr. 2018
Green, invariably an emotional, theatrical berater of refs, was second in the league in technical fouls.

— scott ostler, San Antonio Express-News, "By no means invincible, Golden State faces rocky path to Finals," 13 Apr. 2018
The theatrical Mexican theme of this building type also served to mark Taco Bell’s place on the urban and suburban landscape.

— nate berg, Curbed, "McDonald’s 2.0," 11 Apr. 2018
The cast are conceived as clowns, improvising scenery and costumes, and using stock theatrical devices, pantomime vaudeville and varied musical styles to interpret one of humanity's greatest events.

— maria shine stewart, cleveland.com, "Float over some drab days with song and hope: Sun Messages," 8 Apr. 2018
The Suite features iconic moments from the longer work while losing none of the theatrical qualities.

— jessica rudman, courant.com, "HSO's Celebration Of American Composers An Exciting Romp," 7 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'theatrical.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of theatrical

1558

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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theatrical Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of theatrical

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.