theatrical
Meaning
Pertaining to the art or practice of drama and performance; characterized by exaggerated or ostentatious behavior, often employed to evoke strong emotional responses or to emphasize a particular narrative or theme in a theatrical context.
💡 While "theatrical" can denote a genuine artistic quality, it is often used pejoratively to describe behavior that is overly dramatic or insincere in everyday situations.
Example Sentences
Word in Context
On
the
morning
of
the
audition
,
Lara
stood
in
front
of
her
apartment
mirror
and
warmed
up
her
voice
,
counting
the
beats
of
each
sentence
.
She
decided
to
keep
her
gestures
restrained
rather
than
adopt
a
theatrical
style
,
because
the
director
had
asked
for
subtlety
.
When
she
rehearsed
,
she
focused
on
precise
diction
and
on
conveying
emotion
through
small
changes
in
timing
and
breath
.
Walking
to
the
studio
,
she
reviewed
the
scene
in
her
head
,
picturing
how
a
quiet
pause
could
change
the
meaning
of
a
line
.
At
the
door
she
paused
to
breathe
deeply
,
feeling
ready
to
present
a
measured
,
honest
performance
rather
than
a
showy
one
.
Common Phrases
theatrical performance
theatrical techniques
theatrical conventions
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Words
Never forget "theatrical"
Set a daily goal, reinforce with word cards and games, and track your progress in the Vocab5000 app — learn every C1 level word permanently with our science-based repetition system.