melodramatic

American

[mel-uh-druh-mat-ik] / ˌmɛl ə drəˈmæt ɪk /

adjective

of, like, or befitting melodrama.
exaggerated and emotional or sentimental; sensational or sensationalized; overdramatic.

noun

melodramatics, melodramatic writing or behavior.

Other Word Forms

melodramatically adverb
nonmelodramatic adjective
nonmelodramatically adverb
unmelodramatic adjective
unmelodramatically adverb

Etymology

Origin of melodramatic

First recorded in 1810–20; melodrama + (drama)tic

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.

Her melodramatic sorrow at her stilted relationship with Alexis is palpable even as she mourns her daughter’s unwillingness to join her on a wine tasting tour in France . . . when Alexis was seven.

From Salon • Feb. 4, 2026

Ms. Schilinski roams in and out of all the impressions and recollections, most of them stained by sadness and regret, without turning maudlin or melodramatic.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

Occasionally undone by melodramatic tendencies, “All That’s Left of You” catalogs the emotional toll that occupation visits on the oppressed.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 9, 2026

So, is the singer this melodramatic in her real life relationships?

From BBC • Oct. 15, 2025

I didn’t have the melodramatic self-centeredness to be a goth, or show up to class enough to play the geek.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023