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Showing results for theatrical. Search instead for the+taal.
Synonyms

theatrical

American  
[thee-a-tri-kuhl] / θiˈæ trɪ kəl /

adjective

  1. of or relating to the theater or dramatic presentations.

    theatrical performances.

  2. suggestive of the theater or of acting; artificial, pompous, spectacular, or extravagantly histrionic.

    a theatrical display of grief.

    Synonyms:
    extravagant, stagy, melodramatic, exaggerated

noun

  1. theatricals,

    1. dramatic performances, now especially as given by amateurs.

    2. artificial or histrionic actions.

  2. a professional actor.

    a family of renowned theatricals.

theatrical British  
/ θɪˈætrɪkəl /

adjective

  1. of or relating to the theatre or dramatic performances

  2. exaggerated and affected in manner or behaviour; histrionic

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • half-theatrical adjective
  • nontheatric adjective
  • nontheatrical adjective
  • nontheatrically adverb
  • overtheatrical adjective
  • overtheatrically adverb
  • overtheatricalness noun
  • quasi-theatrical adjective
  • quasi-theatrically adverb
  • semitheatric adjective
  • semitheatrical adjective
  • semitheatrically adverb
  • theatricality noun
  • theatrically adverb
  • theatricalness noun
  • untheatric adjective
  • untheatrical adjective
  • untheatrically adverb

Etymology

Origin of theatrical

1550–60; < Late Latin theātric ( us ) < Greek theātrikós, equivalent to theā́tr ( on ) theater + -ikos -ic + -al 1

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.

A famously theatrical monologue, given by a man as police arrested him at a Chinese restaurant in Australia, has officially been preserved by the country's national archive.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

Films produced by Warner Bros. would likely go directly to streaming rather than theatrical release.

From Barron's • Mar. 23, 2026

Mike Hopkins, head of Amazon MGM, said the studio invests in theatrical films for box-office revenue and Prime Video content.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026

“We believe deeply in the Hail Mary, and it’s clear audiences do as well,” Kevin Wilson, head of domestic theatrical distribution for Amazon MGM Studios, said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026

Latin’s great theatrical charm, its sacred power, was that it could translate human aspiration to a holy tongue.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez