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
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overtheatricalnessnoun
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theatricalitynoun
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theatricalnessnoun
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half-theatricaladjective
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nontheatricadjective
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nontheatricaladjective
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overtheatricaladjective
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quasi-theatricaladjective
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semitheatricadjective
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semitheatricaladjective
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untheatricadjective
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untheatricaladjective
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nontheatricallyadverb
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overtheatricallyadverb
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quasi-theatricallyadverb
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semitheatricallyadverb
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theatricallyadverb
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untheatricallyadverb
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.
Should the film’s upcoming theatrical run also be called off?
From Salon ● Sep. 5, 2026
From his home in Alhambra, Jack Wagner explores the spooky and the supernatural in way that fans say feels legit, ‘without all the hocus-pocus theatrical stuff.’
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
While Jobs favored theatrical flair and his iconic black turtleneck, Cook keeps more of an everyman profile.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 2026
It was not an immediate hit at cinemas but became a fan favourite and holds the record for the longest-running theatrical release in film history.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
I should have asked Cade Hernandez, but he would have put on some theatrical show to answer such a simple question.
From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith
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.
