Melodramatic
adjective
Being overly dramatic or emotional.
She made a melodramatic exit, crying and slamming the door behind her.
Often appears as...
- melodramatic reaction
- melodramatic exit
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Similar to a melodrama in style, character, or theme.
He wrote a melodramatic play where the villain is a mustache-twirling evil scientist.
Often appears as...
- melodramatic style
- melodramatic theme
Usage tips
Academic
adjective
Being overly dramatic or emotional.
She made a melodramatic exit, crying and slamming the door behind her.
Often appears as...
- melodramatic reaction
- melodramatic exit
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Similar to a melodrama in style, character, or theme.
He wrote a melodramatic play where the villain is a mustache-twirling evil scientist.
Often appears as...
- melodramatic style
- melodramatic theme
Usage tips
Academic
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Excessive Emotion
Use 'melodramatic' to describe someone who reacts too strongly to minor problems.
She was being melodramatic about the broken nail, as if it were a disaster.
Pro Tip 2/3Critique Behavior
It can be critical, suggesting the behavior is unnecessary or inappropriate.
Stop being melodramatic; it's just a spider, not a monster!
Pro Tip 3/3Not Literal
Often used hyperbolically to emphasize how someone is overacting.
His melodramatic groan made everyone laugh during the game night.
Pro Tip 1/3Excessive Emotion
Use 'melodramatic' to describe someone who reacts too strongly to minor problems.
She was being melodramatic about the broken nail, as if it were a disaster.
Pro Tip 2/3Critique Behavior
It can be critical, suggesting the behavior is unnecessary or inappropriate.
Stop being melodramatic; it's just a spider, not a monster!
Pro Tip 3/3Not Literal
Often used hyperbolically to emphasize how someone is overacting.
His melodramatic groan made everyone laugh during the game night.
Pro Tip 1/3Excessive Emotion
Use 'melodramatic' to describe someone who reacts too strongly to minor problems.
She was being melodramatic about the broken nail, as if it were a disaster.
Pro Tip 2/3Critique Behavior
It can be critical, suggesting the behavior is unnecessary or inappropriate.
Stop being melodramatic; it's just a spider, not a monster!
Pro Tip 3/3Not Literal
Often used hyperbolically to emphasize how someone is overacting.
His melodramatic groan made everyone laugh during the game night.
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Video examples
4 larger-than-life...
you know the stories and the characters can be exaggerated, larger than life, and if you're a fan, you find that exaggeration fun, and if you're not, maybe you find them melodramatic or unsophisticated. Maybe you think watching soap operas is a waste of time,
Video examples
Texas Prison Escape PIPE...
I set up higher in the seat and without getting a melodramatic the air actually tasted their friendly
Video examples
4 larger-than-life...
you know the stories and the characters can be exaggerated, larger than life, and if you're a fan, you find that exaggeration fun, and if you're not, maybe you find them melodramatic or unsophisticated. Maybe you think watching soap operas is a waste of time,
Video examples
Texas Prison Escape PIPE...
I set up higher in the seat and without getting a melodramatic the air actually tasted their friendly
Example 1 of 2
Quote examples
Alexandra Daddario
American Actress
When you're trying to sustain a high level of intensity and panic, sometimes it actually helps to have something happen that makes you really afraid because even if in real life it wouldn't make you that scared, to take that little bit of fear and be melodramatic about it, I guess, and convince yourself that it's worse, can be effective.
Quote examples
Ali Wong
American Actress
My dad was obviously a really quirky, unconventional Asian man who didn't care about what other people thought. When he would fight with my mom, he would be really dramatic. He would be like, 'Devil, get away, for I am God's property.' He would say crazy things that were so melodramatic but so theatrical and funny.
Quote examples
Jeff Nichols
American Director
I've kind of always had this balance between genre and personal dramas. It almost feels like the two help each other. If I was just to make a genre film, maybe it would be hollow and soulless. If I was just to make a personal drama, maybe it would be melodramatic and nobody would ever go see it.
Quote examples
Saffron Aldridge
English Model
My view is that life is too short. I'm not being melodramatic or anything, but when your mother dies in your arms - just you and her, and it's one o'clock in the morning, and you're waiting for her to exhale - you just think, life's too bloody short to argue about the little things.
Quote examples
Steven Bochco
American Producer
Cop shows are by definition melodramatic; they're larger than life. They create very stark contrasts and conflicts emotionally. They're provocative, assuming they grapple with - to the extent that cop shows are mirrors of the culture.
Quote examples
Rodman Philbrick
American Writer
I assumed 'Freak the Mighty' was probably too weird and melodramatic to find a publisher. I certainly never expected the book to have a profound influence on my career as a writer, but indeed it has.
Quote examples
Vincent Cassel
French Actor
Female influence came from my grandmother and my aunt. They would sing Corsican love songs while cleaning the house and dress all in black and say melodramatic things like: 'I want to die.
Quote examples
Montaigne
Australian Musician
I understand that all the songs I write are quite melodramatic and are quite extreme from my perspective, but that's how life feels to everyone at some point.
Quote examples
P. J. O'Rourke
American Comedian
The whole melodrama of the Middle East would be improved if amnesia were as common here as it is in melodramatic plots.
Quote examples
Romesh Ranganathan
British Comedian
I tend to be melodramatic and super self-involved.
Quote examples
Alexandra Daddario
American Actress
When you're trying to sustain a high level of intensity and panic, sometimes it actually helps to have something happen that makes you really afraid because even if in real life it wouldn't make you that scared, to take that little bit of fear and be melodramatic about it, I guess, and convince yourself that it's worse, can be effective.
Quote examples
Ali Wong
American Actress
My dad was obviously a really quirky, unconventional Asian man who didn't care about what other people thought. When he would fight with my mom, he would be really dramatic. He would be like, 'Devil, get away, for I am God's property.' He would say crazy things that were so melodramatic but so theatrical and funny.
Quote examples
Jeff Nichols
American Director
I've kind of always had this balance between genre and personal dramas. It almost feels like the two help each other. If I was just to make a genre film, maybe it would be hollow and soulless. If I was just to make a personal drama, maybe it would be melodramatic and nobody would ever go see it.
Quote examples
Saffron Aldridge
English Model
My view is that life is too short. I'm not being melodramatic or anything, but when your mother dies in your arms - just you and her, and it's one o'clock in the morning, and you're waiting for her to exhale - you just think, life's too bloody short to argue about the little things.
Quote examples
Steven Bochco
American Producer
Cop shows are by definition melodramatic; they're larger than life. They create very stark contrasts and conflicts emotionally. They're provocative, assuming they grapple with - to the extent that cop shows are mirrors of the culture.
Quote examples
Rodman Philbrick
American Writer
I assumed 'Freak the Mighty' was probably too weird and melodramatic to find a publisher. I certainly never expected the book to have a profound influence on my career as a writer, but indeed it has.
Quote examples
Vincent Cassel
French Actor
Female influence came from my grandmother and my aunt. They would sing Corsican love songs while cleaning the house and dress all in black and say melodramatic things like: 'I want to die.
Quote examples
Montaigne
Australian Musician
I understand that all the songs I write are quite melodramatic and are quite extreme from my perspective, but that's how life feels to everyone at some point.
Quote examples
P. J. O'Rourke
American Comedian
The whole melodrama of the Middle East would be improved if amnesia were as common here as it is in melodramatic plots.
Quote examples
Romesh Ranganathan
British Comedian
I tend to be melodramatic and super self-involved.
Example 1 of 10
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