dramatize
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to put into a form suitable for acting on a stage.
-
to express or represent vividly, emotionally, or strikingly.
He dramatizes his woes with sobs and sighs.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
(tr) to put into dramatic form
-
to express or represent (something) in a dramatic or exaggerated way
he dramatizes his illness
Other Word Forms
- dramatizable adjective
- dramatizer noun
- overdramatize verb
- undramatizable adjective
- undramatized adjective
- well-dramatized adjective
Etymology
Origin of dramatize
Explanation
To dramatize something is to put it in dramatic form (like a TV show or movie) or make it seem more dramatic, using exaggeration. Anytime you see a movie or TV show about real events, the actors are dramatizing what really happened. If you slipped on the sidewalk and hurt your knee a little but later made it sound like the most tragic event in the history of humanity, you're guilty of dramatizing what happened. To dramatize in that way is to exaggerate and embellish — it's something that we all do occasionally.
Vocabulary lists containing dramatize
March: Book Two
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!
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ize
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!
-ize, List 2
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.
Lighting design by Manuel Da Silva, the group’s production manager, provided pools and shafts of illumination to dramatize the darkened stage.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 20, 2026
Sophocles’ “Antigone” and Euripides’ “Suppliant Women” dramatize tensions between personal morality, state power and democratic rights.
From Salon • Apr. 13, 2025
Such data dramatize the growing risks of outburst floods, says Irfan Rashid, a climate scientist at Kashmir University.
From Science Magazine • Dec. 2, 2024
In matters of using hip-hop to dramatize human hurt, there’s no question ShyBelligerent is as great as he says he is.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 28, 2024
"Because I don't think we ought to dramatize our differences."
From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison
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.
