as in drama
a written work in which the story is told through speech and action that is intended to be acted out on stage
a dramatization of a true story
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Recent Examples of dramatization
With the precision of a great documentarian and the pace of an expert thriller director, Howard mounts an enviably well-rounded procedural dramatization of a story that captivated headlines in 2018.
—
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026
At the start of The Big Fake, a Netflix dramatization of one criminal’s involvement in the most tumultuous events in post-war Italy, Toni Chichiarelli (Pietro Castellitto) is a talented painter living hand-to-mouth as a portrait artist on the streets of Rome.
—Rory Doherty, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
The challenge is to say their lines in unison with the original speaker, voicing them with no dramatization or embellishment.
—Leah Abrams, Vogue, 29 Dec. 2025
Hamnet, based on Maggie O’Farrell’s novel of the same name, is a dramatization of William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and his wife Agnes’s (a gutting performance from Jessie Buckley) relationship after the death of their young child, which inspires the Bard to write Hamlet.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 13 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dramatization
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026
At the start of The Big Fake, a Netflix dramatization of one criminal’s involvement in the most tumultuous events in post-war Italy, Toni Chichiarelli (Pietro Castellitto) is a talented painter living hand-to-mouth as a portrait artist on the streets of Rome.
—Rory Doherty, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
The challenge is to say their lines in unison with the original speaker, voicing them with no dramatization or embellishment.
—Leah Abrams, Vogue, 29 Dec. 2025
Hamnet, based on Maggie O’Farrell’s novel of the same name, is a dramatization of William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and his wife Agnes’s (a gutting performance from Jessie Buckley) relationship after the death of their young child, which inspires the Bard to write Hamlet.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 13 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dramatization
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dramatization
Noun
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Roan, who recently celebrated her 28th birthday, also put a twist on a more high-drama beat in a second photo.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
23 Feb. 2026
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The partnership follows Searchlight’s work with Dirty Films on Sweetsick, a new drama led by Blanchett which marks the directorial debut of Alice Birch.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Upstairs is a tatami mat tea ceremony space wrapped in decorative steel screens where, in a play of light and shadows, a lady in a dusty pink kimono whisks matcha.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Feb. 2026
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Campbell praised Suárez for her recent play and tenacity on the court.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dramatization.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dramatization. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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