(someone) is melodramatic

A "melodrama" is a kind of story that has very dramatic, extreme events and emotions. Characters in a melodrama do things like

  • fight to the death
  • go insane
  • fall very deeply in love
  • scream at each other

Calling a real person "melodramatic" means that you think that they're acting too emotional. A "melodramatic" person acts like they're on stage in a play, even when they're living a normal life.

"Melodramatic" sounds negative. In fact, even calling someone "dramatic" sounds negative.

This phrase appears in these lessons: