What does "melodrama" mean?
A kind of drama having a musical accompaniment to intensify the effect of certain scenes.
Melodrama
/ˈmɛləˌdɹɑːmə/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A kind of drama having a musical accompaniment to intensify the effect of certain scenes.
- Grammar: melodrama is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: antimasque, audience success, ballet, bathos.
- Useful contrasts: comedies, realist drama, restraint.
- Usage evidence: Love is a comedy in France, a tragedy in England, an opera in Italy, and a melodrama in Germany.
How to use "melodrama"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "melodrama" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "melodrama" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "melodrama" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "melodrama" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "melodrama" is acting as noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "antimasque" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A kind of drama having a musical accompaniment to intensify the effect of certain scenes. archaic, uncountable
- 2 an extravagant comedy in which action is more salient than characterization wordnet
- 3 A drama abounding in romantic sentiment and agonizing situations, with a musical accompaniment only in parts which are especially thrilling or pathetic. countable
- 4 A passage in which the orchestra plays a somewhat descriptive accompaniment, while the actor speaks. countable
"The grave-digging scene in Beethoven's “Fidelio” has much melodrama."
- 5 Any situation or action which is blown out of proportion. colloquial, figuratively, uncountable
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Love is a comedy in France, a tragedy in England, an opera in Italy, and a melodrama in Germany."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "melodrama"?
Common synonyms include: antimasque, audience success, ballet, bathos, blood and thunder, bomb.
How do you use "melodrama" in a sentence?
Love is a comedy in France, a tragedy in England, an opera in Italy, and a melodrama in Germany.
How do you pronounce "melodrama"?
Pronounced /ˈmɛləˌdɹɑːmə/.
Etymology
From French mélodrame, the second element refashioned by analogy with drama; ultimately from Ancient Greek μέλος (mélos, “limb”, “member”, “song”, “tune”, “melody”) + δρᾶμα (drâma, “deed”, “theatrical act”). Compare melodrame. Cognate to German Melodram and Spanish melodrama.