theatrics

plural noun

the·​at·​rics thē-ˈa-triks How to pronounce theatrics (audio)
1
2
: staged or contrived effects

Examples of theatrics in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The horror part, the nightmare part, is the blood, the gore, the theatrics. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 30 Jan. 2023 However, despite the Hollywood theatrics and online hype, not a single crystal skull has ever been pulled from an excavation site. Eric Betz, Discover Magazine, 16 Dec. 2022 This season, designer Maria Grazia Chiuri was inspired by French queen Catherine de Medici, who ruled from 1547 to 1559, and Raducanu was a fan of the theatrics that came along with it. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2022 The theatrics of spinning no-look passes and playing catch with the referee in the middle of a fastbreak captured the imagination but doing so in remixed versions of the American flag captured the eye. Keith Nelson, Men's Health, 23 Jan. 2023 By placing a large video screen over the stage, the Pacific Symphony added close-ups of the players and conductor, further adding to the theatrics. Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2023 McCarthy allies didn’t seem to appreciate the theatrics. Amanda Kaufman, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Jan. 2023 It will be raised again this year, despite the theatrics over a default. Ben Koltun, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2023 Even without the theatrics, the project would’ve still done well for its first week — but the staying power may have faltered. Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 13 Dec. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'theatrics.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1807, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of theatrics was in 1807

Dictionary Entries Near theatrics

Cite this Entry

“Theatrics.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/theatrics. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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