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

Derived Forms

• theˈatrically, adverb
• theˌatriˈcality, noun

Other Words From

• the·at·ri·cal·i·ty [thee-a-tri-, kal, -i-tee], the·atri·cal·ness noun
• the·atri·cal·ly adverb
• half-the·atri·cal adjective
• nonthe·atric adjective
• nonthe·atri·cal adjective
• nonthe·atri·cal·ly adverb
• over·the·atri·cal adjective
• over·the·atri·cal·ly adverb
• over·the·atri·cal·ness noun
• quasi-the·atri·cal adjective
• quasi-the·atri·cal·ly adverb
• semi·the·atric adjective
• semi·the·atri·cal adjective
• semi·the·atri·cal·ly adverb
• unthe·atric adjective
• unthe·atri·cal adjective
• unthe·atri·cal·ly 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

It said the sequences were "no longer within our standards at U" despite upholding the initial rating for video and theatrical releases in 1987 and 2008.

From BBC

The musical, in the words of the published script, “was written as a Japanese conception of what a Broadway musical might be as conceived from the traditional Japanese theatrical viewpoint.”

From Los Angeles Times

“Great Gold Bird,” a theatrical mystery that touches on love and grief, turns audience members into participants who must travel from Arlington Heights to Los Feliz.

From Los Angeles Times

“The tickets are not as expensive and you are still getting really wonderful, theatrical performances that capture all the diversity of the Latino community.”

From Los Angeles Times

Furthermore, though Mr. Reed presents himself as an intellectually superior theologian, gilding his carefully-choreographed arguments with props and theatrical flourishes, the script itself doesn’t hold him in the same regard.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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