drama
Americannoun
-
a composition in prose or verse presenting in dialogue or pantomime a story involving conflict or contrast of character, especially one intended to be acted on the stage; a play.
-
the branch of literature having such compositions as its subject; dramatic art or representation.
-
the art dealing with the writing and production of plays.
-
any situation or series of events having vivid, emotional, conflicting, or striking interest or results.
the drama of a murder trial.
-
the quality of being dramatic.
noun
-
a work to be performed by actors on stage, radio, or television; play
-
the genre of literature represented by works intended for the stage
-
the art of the writing and production of plays
-
a situation or sequence of events that is highly emotional, tragic, or turbulent
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of drama
First recorded in 1505–15; from Late Latin, from Greek drâma “action (of a play),” from drá(ein), drâ(n) “to act, do” + -ma, noun suffix
Explanation
Drama is highly emotional. It can happen on stage, like a performance of "Hamlet," or in a gaggle of 7th grade girls, breathlessly dissecting why so-and-so broke up with what's-her-name. The word drama comes directly from Greek, meaning "action" or "a play." Which is no surprise, since ancient Athens was a hotbed of dramatic theater. The earliest recorded actor was a Greek named Thespis, and actors today are still called "thespians" in his honor. Drama doesn't always take place on the stage, though. You can use the word, sometimes with a roll of the eyes, to describe behavior or a reaction to a situation that appears a little overly emotional.
Vocabulary lists containing drama
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
New Kid
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Ancient Greece - Introductory
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
So she was jubilant when she and the surreal sci-series on Apple TV scored 18 nominations, the most for a first-year drama.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026
US medical drama The Pitt and comedy Hacks lead the nominations for this year's Emmy Awards, America's most coveted TV honours.
From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026
Noah Wyle -- who rose to fame on "ER" -- has racked up prizes as star of "The Pitt," including an Emmy, and is again a nominee for best drama actor this time around.
From Barron's • Jul. 8, 2026
Zendaya is nominated alongside Carrie Coon, Chase Infiniti, Keri Russell and Rhea Seehorn in the lead actress in a drama category.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026
Felix sat at the table, which was covered in homemade drama club posters.
From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty
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.
