theatrical

[thee-a-tri-kuhl]

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

/ θɪˈætrɪkəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to the theatre or dramatic performances

2. exaggerated and affected in manner or behaviour; histrionic

Other Word Forms

• theatrically adverb
• theatricality noun
• theatricalness noun
• 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
• untheatric adjective
• untheatrical adjective
• untheatrically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of theatrical¹

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

Example Sentences

The move marks the latest effort by the streaming giant to experiment with theatrical releases of its popular titles.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The popularity of “KPop Demon Hunters” — which has been crowned the streamer’s most-watched movie — prompted Netflix to take the unusual step of giving the movie a limited theatrical run weeks after its streaming premiere.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Under the direction of Kim Noble, this touring production from Washington, D.C.’s Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company found ways to choreograph the simultaneous activities of disparate audience members into a lyrical theatrical patchwork.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

As The Scythe illustrates, From The Pyre is a deeply personal record – even though the band have a tendency to self-mythologise and dress their stories in florid, theatrical outfits.

Read more on BBC

The movie’s massive popularity led to a limited theatrical run for sing-along screenings as well as live performances of its songs.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• campy 
• comic 
• exaggerated 
• melodramatic 
• operatic 
• showy