1
as in theatric
given to or marked by attention-getting behavior suggestive of stage acting
our office drama queen yet again made the melodramatic declaration that he couldn't take it anymore and was quitting
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in theatrical
having the general quality or effect of a stage performance
he gave his usual melodramatic speech that he had learned his lesson and thereafter would always pay his bills on time
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Recent Examples of melodramatic
Like soap operas, The Gilded Age is melodramatic and often ridiculous, with a world populated by stock characters who live through endless plot twists.
—
Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
The melodramatic suspense series stars Kim You-jung and Kim Young-dae, with Kim Do-hoon and Lee Yu-leum in supporting roles.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Aug. 2025
The filmmaker was thinking of Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia while writing the screenplay—though his resulting work thankfully lacks the melodramatic verve of Anderson’s gargantuan Boogie Nights follow-up.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 8 Aug. 2025
For example, please check out Hooker's sick baton skills:
Thanks to its melodramatic storylines and Shatner's over-the-top performance, T. J. Hooker became a pop culture punchline — though Shatner maintained a sense of humor about the show.
—EW.com, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for melodramatic
Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
The melodramatic suspense series stars Kim You-jung and Kim Young-dae, with Kim Do-hoon and Lee Yu-leum in supporting roles.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Aug. 2025
The filmmaker was thinking of Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia while writing the screenplay—though his resulting work thankfully lacks the melodramatic verve of Anderson’s gargantuan Boogie Nights follow-up.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 8 Aug. 2025
For example, please check out Hooker's sick baton skills:
Thanks to its melodramatic storylines and Shatner's over-the-top performance, T. J. Hooker became a pop culture punchline — though Shatner maintained a sense of humor about the show.
—EW.com, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for melodramatic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melodramatic
Adjective
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The idea is to make the merchandise available in tandem with its theatrical debut, or else later, as an additional marketing vector when the project streams or releases on physical media.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Sep. 2025
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Wahlberg plays a holy fool in Boogie Nights, our naïve but well-endowed guide through the heyday of theatrical pornography and its decline into something cheaper and tawdrier courtesy of the triumph of VHS.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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During the past decade, Tranter has established himself as one of the music industry’s most reliable hitmakers, thanks to his clever, boisterous lyricism and dramatic, over-the-top choruses and hooks.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Oct. 2025
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While an Oscar nomination for Jay Kelly would mark Sandler's first, the actor, known more for his comedic roles, previously flexed some of his dramatic chops in films like Punch-Drunk Love (2002), Reign Over Me (2007) and Uncut Gems (2019).—
Jen Juneau,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This musical blends gospel and Motown with operatic stylings to illuminate the changing times of the Civil Rights era while examining social and familial issues still prevalent today.—
Meredith G. White,
AZCentral.com,
1 Oct. 2025
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Chabon’s novel, about two Jewish cousins who create a fantastically successful comic-book superhero named the Escapist, should make fine operatic material.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Melodramatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melodramatic. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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