drama
gb/dɹˈɑmə/ us/dɹˈɑmə/
B1
English
~ 2500
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
A serious play or TV show
A story performed on stage, TV, or radio about serious or emotional events.
Usage pattern:
[someone] watches [a drama]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'drama' with 'comedy' or think it only means 'something exciting', missing its use for serious plays or shows.
Synonyms
play (Refers specifically to a stage performance; may not include TV or radio.)
|
theatrical production (More formal; emphasizes stage performance.)
Antonyms
comedy (A play or show intended to make people laugh, opposite in tone to drama.)
Collocations
crime drama
|TV drama
|romantic drama
|period drama
|drama series
Themes
entertainment
|media
|arts
|arts_entertainment
|communication
Examples
- The new crime drama on Netflix has received excellent reviews.
- She is starring in a period drama set in Victorian England.
- We watched a gripping courtroom drama last night.
- He prefers comedy to drama when choosing what to watch.
- The festival features both dramas and musicals.
Learner examples
- I watched a drama on TV last night.
- The drama was about a family in trouble.
- She likes to see dramas at the theatre.
- He is acting in a drama about war.
Noun
B1
event
2
Exciting or emotional situation
An event or situation that is full of action, emotion, or trouble.
Usage pattern:
[someone] experiences [drama]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'drama' for any event, even if it is not emotional or intense, leading to unnatural usage.
Synonyms
turmoil (Focuses more on disorder or confusion rather than just emotional intensity.)
|
commotion (Emphasizes noisy disturbance; not always emotional.)
Antonyms
calm (A peaceful and quiet situation without excitement or trouble.)
Collocations
family drama
|office drama
|relationship drama
|unnecessary drama
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|relationships
|daily_life
Examples
- There was a lot of drama at the party when two guests started arguing.
- She avoids unnecessary drama in her life.
- The office has been full of drama since the new manager arrived.
- We had some drama on our trip when the bus broke down.
- The movie captured all the drama of the rescue operation.
Learner examples
- There was drama at school today when two boys fought.
- I don't like drama in my life.
- The wedding day had some drama when it started to rain.
- We had drama at work when the computer system failed.
Noun
B2
entity
3
Serious literary genre for performance
A type of story written to be acted out, usually about serious subjects.
Synonyms
theatre (Can refer to the art form generally, not just serious works.)
Antonyms
farce (A light comic dramatic work that is the opposite in tone to most dramas.)
Collocations
Greek drama
|modern drama
|classical drama
Themes
literature
|arts
|arts_entertainment
|education
Examples
- Shakespeare's plays include both comedies and dramas.
- Greek drama often explored themes of fate and morality.
- Modern drama has expanded to include diverse voices and stories.
- He studied classical drama at university.
Learner examples
- We read a Greek drama in class.
- Drama is part of English literature.
- She wrote a drama about family life.
Grammar
Dictionary form
drama
IPA
GB/dɹˈɑmə/
US/dɹˈɑmə/
Syllables & stress
drama (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (drama)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: drama
- Plural: drama, dramas
Word family
Forms
dramas
noun
Core family
dramatic
adjective B1
dramatically
adverb B2
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
undramatic
adjective
Advanced or less common
melodrama
noun
melodramatic
adjective
Expressions
cut the drama
1/kˈʌt ðə dɹˈɑmə/
fixed phrase
informal
Stop overreacting emotionally
To tell someone to stop reacting too emotionally about something unimportant.
Examples
- Can we cut the drama and talk calmly?
- Cut the drama and just explain what happened.
full of drama
1/fˈʊl əv dɹˈɑmə/
fixed phrase
Having many emotional events
Having many exciting, emotional, or surprising things happening.
Examples
- Their relationship is full of drama.
- The book is full of drama from start to finish.
make a drama out of something
1/mˈeɪk ə dɹˈɑmə ˈaʊt əv sˈʌmθɪŋ/
idiom
informal
Exaggerate a minor problem
To behave as if a small problem is very big and serious.
Examples
- Stop making a drama out of nothing; it's just a small scratch.
- She tends to make a drama out of every little setback.