Melodramatic

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Melodramatic \Mel`o*dra*mat"ic\, a. [Cf. F. m['e]lodramatique.]
     Of or pertaining to melodrama; like or suitable to a
     melodrama; unnatural in situation or action. --
     {Mel`o*dra*mat"ic*al*ly}, adv.
     [1913 Webster]



From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Dramatic \Dra*mat"ic\ (dr[.a]*m[a^]t"[i^]k), Dramatical
  \Dra*mat"ic*al\ (dr[.a]*m[a^]t"[i^]*kal), a. [Gr. dramatiko`s,
     fr. dra^ma: cf. F. dramatique.]
     Of or pertaining to the drama; as, dramatic arts. [WordNet
     sense 3]
     [1913 Webster]
  
     2. suitable to or characteristic of or having the qualities
        of, a drama; theatrical; as, a dramatic entrance in a
        swirling cape; a dramatic rescue at sea. Opposite of
        {undramatic}. [WordNet sense 1] [Narrower terms:
        {melodramatic}; {awe-inspiring, spectacular}]
        [WordNet 1.5]
  
              The emperor . . . performed his part with much
              dramatic effect.                      --Motley.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. striking in appearance or effect; vivid; having a
        thrilling effect; as, a dramatic sunset; a dramatic pause.
        [WordNet sense 2]
  
     Syn: spectacular, striking.
          [WordNet 1.5]
  
     4. (Music) marked by power and expressiveness and a
        histrionic or theatrical style; -- of a singer or singing
        voice; as, a dramatic tenor; a dramatic soprano.
        Contrasted to {lyric}. [WordNet sense 4]
        [WordNet 1.5]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  melodramatic
       adj 1: having the excitement and emotional appeal of melodrama; "a
              melodramatic account of two perilous days at sea"
       2: characteristic of acting or a stage performance; often
          affected; "histrionic gestures"; "an attitude of
          melodramatic despair"; "a theatrical pose" [syn: {histrionic}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  55 Moby Thesaurus words for "melodramatic":
     Barnumesque, actor-proof, all-star, ballet, balletic, cinematic,
     cinematographic, cloak-and-dagger, dramatic, dramatical,
     dramaturgic, emotionalistic, emotive, exaggerated, film, filmic,
     ham, hammy, histrionic, hokey, hysteric, legitimate, lurid, milked,
     monodramatic, movie, nonrational, operatic, overacted, overdone,
     overdrawn, overemotional, overplayed, overworked, overwrought,
     scenic, schmaltzy, sensational, sensationalistic, spectacular,
     spine-chilling, stagelike, stageworthy, stagy, starstruck, stellar,
     theaterlike, theatrical, thespian, thrown away, underacted,
     underplayed, unreasoning, vaudevillian, yellow