melodrama Hear it!

melodrama Definition

melo·drama (mel′ō drä′mə, -dram′ə; mel′ə-)

noun

  1. Historical a sensational or romantic stage play with interspersed songs and an orchestral accompaniment
  2. now, a drama, as a play or film, concerned with exaggerated conflicts and emotions, stereotyped characters, etc.; also, such dramas collectively
  3. any sensational, extravagantly emotional action, utterance, etc.

Etymology: altered (by assoc. with drama) < Fr mélodrame < Gr melos, a song + Fr drame < LL: see drama

Related Forms:

melodrama Synonyms

melodrama

n.

play, opera, theater; see drama 1.

melodrama Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • make: Meg: " Stop making a melodrama out of everything.
  • write: Dickens produced and acted in two melodramas written by Collins, The Lighthouse ( 1855 ) and The Frozen Deep ( 1857 ).
  • present: To end the show, once again showing tremendous versatility, the oldest group presented a Victorian melodrama - THE BLACK HEARTED VILLAIN.
  • combine: Most of his work is firmly set in his native county and combines melodrama with earthly realism.
  • adapt: Tod's last film for Universal is THE WHITE TIGER, another crime melodrama adapted from Tod's own story.
  • fashion: Mankiewicz's directorial debut is an old fashioned romantic melodrama with some macabre touches.

Adjective modifier

  • sentimental: Sentimental melodrama, virtuous aristocrats rewarded; post-Revolutionary incidents.
  • operatic: Can you tell me if your poetry is lies or lines or bars or notes in an operatic melodrama?
  • Victorian: On a picnic they're brought together in the true style of Victorian melodrama.
  • romantic: One of the darkest episodes of German history has been transformed into romantic melodrama.
  • Gothic: The cost of this classic gothic melodrama approached $ 1 million, $ 50 thousand of which was spent on retakes.
  • classic: At first this story reads like a classic Victorian melodrama, rather reminiscent of a Sherlock Holmes tale.

Preposition: with

  • twist: View more... Open Mind Surgery - supply of key technical resources ' The Larder ' , a melodrama with a horrific twist.
  • touch: Mankiewicz's directorial debut is an old fashioned romantic melodrama with some macabre touches.

Noun used with modifier

  • century: Formation of cultural studies; cultural theory and popular culture; cultural representation of American war in Vietnam; 19th century stage melodrama.
  • family: So Brothers started well as a family melodrama, but took a violent turn far too suddenly to keep me believing in it.
  • mystery: A robust mystery melodrama with no supernatural elements, just a lot of spooky atmosphere.
  • crime: In color it is an unusual crime melodrama with Paris locations.
  • 1950s: If this sounds like the plot to a 1950s melodrama, then this is because that is exactly what it is.
  • stage: Formation of cultural studies; cultural theory and popular culture; cultural representation of American war in Vietnam; 19th century stage melodrama.