drama
DRAH-muh
Drama (noun) means a play written for the stage, television, radio, or film, acted out by performers taking on characters. Example: “She wrote a drama about a family torn apart by war.”
noun
1
A play written for the stage, television, radio, or film, acted out by performers taking on characters.
"She wrote a drama about a family torn apart by war."
"The channel is airing a new crime drama this autumn."
"We went to the theatre last night to see a powerful new drama."
2
An intense, emotionally charged real-life situation or conflict.
"There was real drama at the meeting when the two managers argued."
"The rescue of the stranded hikers was full of drama until the very end."
"There was plenty of drama at the wedding when the cake fell over."
3
Exaggerated, attention-seeking behaviour, gossip, or unnecessary conflict.
"She always creates drama over nothing on social media."
"I try to avoid office drama and just get on with my work."
"Their group chat is full of drama, so I muted it."
How to use drama
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA staged or filmed story, or — informally — needless conflict and exaggerated fuss in everyday life.
Common mistake
The informal sense ("stop making drama") is casual/slang and shouldn't be used in formal writing.
Common pairings
a TV drama
high drama
cause drama
drama queen
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like drama.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- dramas, dramata
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She wrote a _____ about a family torn apart by war.
Etymology
From Ancient Greek drama, "an act" or "a play," from the verb draō, "to do" or "to act" — it reached English via Late Latin.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for drama
See all rhymes for drama →Frequently asked questions
What does “drama” mean?
The word “drama” means a play written for the stage, television, radio, or film, acted out by performers taking on characters. In plain terms, a staged or filmed story, or — informally — needless conflict and exaggerated fuss in everyday life.
How do you pronounce “drama”?
“Drama” is pronounced DRAH-muh (/ˈdɹɑmə/ in IPA).
How do you use “drama” in a sentence?
Here is “drama” used in a sentence: “She wrote a drama about a family torn apart by war.”
What is another word for “drama”?
Words with a similar meaning to “drama” include play.
What part of speech is “drama”?
“Drama” is a noun.
Where does the word “drama” come from?
The word “drama” comes from Ancient Greek. From Ancient Greek drama, "an act" or "a play," from the verb draō, "to do" or "to act" — it reached English via Late Latin.
Is “drama” a common word?
“Drama” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “drama” have?
“Drama” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a play written for the stage, television, radio, or film, acted out by performers taking on characters.
What is the difference between drama and comedy?
Both are types of performed work, but they differ in tone. Comedy aims to amuse and usually ends happily, while drama treats serious subjects and emotional conflict, often without jokes. In film and television, drama is the label for weightier stories, as opposed to light comedic ones.
What are the types of drama?
Drama includes several classic forms: tragedy, comedy, tragicomedy, melodrama, and farce. By medium it spans stage plays, television dramas, radio plays, and films. Modern genres such as crime drama, historical drama, and period drama describe the subject matter within the same broad category.
What is the difference between drama and theatre?
Drama usually means the written script — the play itself and its text — while theatre refers to the live performance of that work before an audience, including acting, staging, and design. You can read a drama on the page, but you experience theatre in a venue.
What is an example of drama?
Shakespeare's plays are classic dramas, as are stage works like A Streetcar Named Desire. On screen, a courtroom drama or a television series exploring serious personal conflict fits the term. Any scripted work performed by actors taking on characters, from radio plays to films, counts as drama.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include drama:
