melodrama

/ˈmɛləˌdrɑmə/
noun
  1. A dramatic work, such as a play or movie, that uses exaggerated emotions, sensational events, and clear good vs. evil characters to create strong feelings in the audience.
    • The old film was a classic melodrama with a villain who tied the heroine to the train tracks.
    • Many soap operas are modern melodramas full of shocking secrets and tearful confrontations.
    • The play was a melodrama, so the audience knew the hero would save the day at the last second.
  2. Behavior or events that are overly dramatic, emotional, or exaggerated in real life.
    • The meeting became a melodrama when two coworkers started arguing loudly about a minor mistake.
    • When she lost her phone, she turned the whole situation into a melodrama, crying and screaming.
    • I try to avoid melodrama in my relationships by staying calm and talking things through.
What does "melodrama" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean