soap opera
Americannoun
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soap operas
plural
noun
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A radio or television serial with stock characters in domestic dramas that are noted for being sentimental and melodramatic. For example, She just watches soap operas all day long . This term originated in the mid-1930s and was so called because the sponsors of the earliest such radio shows were often soap manufacturers.
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Real-life situation resembling one that might occur in a soap opera, as in She just goes on and on about her various medical and family problems, one long soap opera . [1940s]
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of soap opera
An Americanism dating back to 1935–40; so called because soap manufacturers were among the original sponsors of such programs
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.
His father worked as a soap opera editor and would sometimes bring him to set, where he learned to love the “feeling of being around people making stuff.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026
The world's longest-running soap opera, The Archers has been recording in the West Midlands city for 75 years.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
Tune into a smartphone soap opera: Are we entering a new phase of television?
From Slate ● Sep. 16, 2026
For best drama actress, Rosen says it will be a race between "Pluribus" star Rhea Seehorn and Keri Russell for political soap opera "The Diplomat."
From Barron's ● Sep. 12, 2026
He’d even started watching my favorite show, Trigonometry and Tears, the high-school soap opera.
From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman
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