psychodrama

noun

psy·​cho·​dra·​ma ˌsī-kō-ˈdrä-mə 

-ˈdra-

1

: an extemporized dramatization designed to afford catharsis and social relearning for one or more of the participants from whose life history the plot is abstracted

2

: a dramatic narrative or work characterized by psychological overtones

3

: an often ongoing psychological struggle

also : an expression of psychological turmoil

psychodramatic

ˌsī-kō-drə-ˈma-tik 

adjective

Examples of psychodrama in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The trauma drama — ideally multigenerational and tied to addiction, abuse or both — is a tough one for audiences that tends to work better as an acting showcase than as involving psychodrama. —David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 Feb. 2026

In exerting this apparent influence, Rubio has somehow avoided becoming either a media fixation or a major player in the right’s unfolding psychodrama. —Ross Douthat, Mercury News, 26 Dec. 2025

This being Neymar, there were also fallouts and psychodramas. —Jack Lang, New York Times, 14 Dec. 2025

This propulsive mother-daughter psychodrama was published to great acclaim in France in 1953 before falling into obscurity. —The New Yorker, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1932, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for psychodrama

• katayama
• melodrama
• pranayama
• agama
• bahama
• pajama
• ulama
• brahma
• chama
• comma
• dama
• drama

Medical Definition

psychodrama

noun

psy·​cho·​dra·​ma ˌsī-kō-ˈdräm-ə, -ˈdram-; ˈsī-kō-ˌdräm-ə, -ˌdram- 

: an extemporized dramatization designed to afford catharsis and social relearning for one or more of the participants from whose life history the plot is abstracted

psychodramatic

-kō-drə-ˈmat-ik 

adjective