theatrical
Americanadjective
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of or relating to the theater or dramatic presentations.
theatrical performances.
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suggestive of the theater or of acting; artificial, pompous, spectacular, or extravagantly histrionic.
a theatrical display of grief.
- Synonyms:
- extravagant, stagy, melodramatic, exaggerated
noun
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theatricals,
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dramatic performances, now especially as given by amateurs.
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artificial or histrionic actions.
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a professional actor.
a family of renowned theatricals.
adjective
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of or relating to the theatre or dramatic performances
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exaggerated and affected in manner or behaviour; histrionic
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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half-theatricaladjective
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untheatricallyadverb
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quasi-theatricaladjective
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nontheatricaladjective
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semitheatricallyadverb
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quasi-theatricallyadverb
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theatricalnessnoun
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overtheatricaladjective
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semitheatricaladjective
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theatricallyadverb
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theatricalitynoun
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overtheatricalnessnoun
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semitheatricadjective
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untheatricadjective
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overtheatricallyadverb
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nontheatricallyadverb
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untheatricaladjective
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nontheatricadjective
Etymology
Origin of theatrical
1550–60; < Late Latin theātric ( us ) < Greek theātrikós, equivalent to theā́tr ( on ) theater + -ikos -ic + -al 1
Explanation
If something happens on a stage, you can describe it as theatrical. Even reading a grocery list out loud can be theatrical, if you do it in dramatic voice with an audience watching. An actor who works on Broadway rather than in Hollywood is theatrical, and a play can be described as a theatrical production. If it happens in a theater, or is related to theater, it's theatrical. You can also use the adjective theatrical to talk about behavior that seems like it belongs on a stage, like a little boy's melodramatic weeping when he discovers a cheese sandwich in his lunch instead of peanut butter and jelly.
Vocabulary lists containing theatrical
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"It's a disaster, environmentally speaking," worried Eveline Biaggini, 53, a theatrical costume director and former candidate for mayor in Fouju.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
The setting, which changes from a blank Brutalism to a trailer-park-home installation suggesting one of Arnold’s cold-eyed dioramas, creates its own theatrical coup.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026
“We believe the platform would be extraordinarily difficult, time-consuming, and expensive to replicate, particularly as blockbuster filmmaking becomes increasingly optimized around premium formats and immersive theatrical experiences,” he added.
From MarketWatch • May 22, 2026
IMAX’s search for a buyer comes as premium theatrical experiences are growing faster than the overall box office.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
The two ships also carried theatrical scripts, scores of costumes, and huge quantities of makeup so that plays could be staged for the crew’s enjoyment.
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
