drama

drama — noun

1. a television programme or film category that focuses on serious subjects and emo

1.nounA2
Definition

a television programme or film category that focuses on serious subjects and emotional stories, rather than ones meant mainly to make people laugh.

Example

Sven enjoys watching historical dramas about the Roman Empire.

collocation: historical drama / TV drama / crime drama

The new drama on Channel Nine won Best Screenplay at the Seoul Drama Awards this year.

Common collocations
  • historical drama
  • period drama
  • crime drama
  • medical drama
  • TV drama
  • drama series
  • drama about
Synonyms
  • series

    broader term; a series can be drama, comedy, or documentary

  • production

    formal term for any TV or film work, not limited to drama

Antonyms
  • comedy

    the opposite genre, intended to be funny

Grammar Patterns

drama about [topic]

historical/period/family drama

Usage Note

Countable when referring to a specific programme ('a new drama'); uncountable when referring to the genre in general ('I prefer drama to comedy').

Common Mistakes

I watched a drama comedy last night.
I watched a dramedy / comedy-drama last night.
A drama and a comedy are different genres; use 'comedy-drama' or 'dramedy' for a blend.
That show is a drama series, so it is always funny.
A drama series is serious or exciting, not funny.
Learners often confuse 'drama' with 'comedy' because both are TV genres.

2. a written work that tells a story through the words and actions of actors perfor

2.nounB1
Definition

a written work that tells a story through the words and actions of actors performing on a stage, or adapted for radio or television.

Example

Iris wrote a short drama for the school theatre competition.

collocation: write a drama

The drama was first performed in a small theatre in Dublin in 1998.

Common collocations
  • write a drama
  • perform a drama
  • radio drama
  • stage drama
  • drama by
  • drama about
Synonyms
  • play

    the most common everyday word for a theatre piece

  • stage play

    emphasises that it is performed in a theatre

  • theatrical work

    formal, used in literary or academic contexts

Grammar Patterns

drama by [playwright]

drama about [topic]

Usage Note

This sense is always countable. It refers to the script or the work itself, not the performance — use 'production' or 'show' for a specific staging.

Common Mistakes

I am going to a drama tonight.
I am going to see a play tonight.
In everyday English, 'play' is more natural than 'drama' for a theatre performance.

3. the branch of literature and performance that involves writing and staging plays

3.nounB2
Definition

the branch of literature and performance that involves writing and staging plays, studied as a subject in schools and universities.

Example

Baraka studied drama and literature at a university in Nairobi.

uncountable: drama as an academic subject

The course covers drama from ancient Greece to modern Britain.

Common collocations
  • study drama
  • drama department
  • drama school
  • drama course
  • modern drama
  • Greek drama
  • classical drama
Synonyms
  • theatre

    overlaps in meaning but 'theatre' also includes performance, staging, and production

  • stagecraft

    more specific to the technical skills of theatre production

  • dramatic art

    formal synonym used in academic contexts

Grammar Patterns

study drama

drama and [other art form]

Usage Note

Uncountable in this sense — do not use 'a drama' or 'dramas' when referring to the art form or field of study.

Common Mistakes

She has a degree in a drama.
She has a degree in drama.
When referring to the subject or art form, drama is uncountable and takes no article.

4. an unexpected event or chain of events that causes people to worry or feel stron

4.nounB1
Definition

an unexpected event or chain of events that causes people to worry or feel strong emotions, often involving a lot of activity or conflict.

Example

There was a big drama at the airport when the flight was cancelled.

collocation: big drama

Niran's family has had a lot of drama since they moved — arguments about the new house and the children's school.

Common collocations
  • big drama
  • family drama
  • there was drama
  • stay out of the drama
  • avoid the drama
Synonyms
  • scene

    often used for an emotional public argument; more specific

  • turmoil

    stronger, suggesting confusion and disorder

  • incident

    neutral; a factual event without the emotional tone

Antonyms
  • calm

    a state of peace with no conflict or excitement

  • routine

    ordinary, uneventful events

Grammar Patterns

a drama when/where...

family drama

full of drama

Usage Note

Common in informal speech. Often used in phrases like 'there was drama' or 'full of drama'. Can be countable ('a drama') for a specific incident or uncountable ('lots of drama') for an atmosphere of conflict.

Common Mistakes

The meeting had a drama.
The meeting had some drama.
When used uncountably to mean 'tension or conflict', do not use 'a drama'. Use 'there was drama' or 'some drama'.

5. the exciting or emotionally involving character of a situation or performance, c

5.nounB2
Definition

the exciting or emotionally involving character of a situation or performance, created by action, conflict, or strong feelings.

Example

The courtroom was full of drama as the judge announced the verdict.

collocation: full of drama

Aylin loves the drama of political debates during election season.

the drama of [something] — pattern for sources of excitement

Common collocations
  • full of drama
  • plenty of drama
  • add drama
  • lack drama
  • the drama of
Synonyms
  • excitement

    broader, more general; drama suggests tension and conflict specifically

  • intensity

    focuses on the strength of emotion rather than the action

  • tension

    emphasises suspense and anticipation

Antonyms
  • calm

    absence of excitement or strong emotion

  • peace

    a state without conflict or disturbance

Grammar Patterns

full of drama

add drama to [something]

drama of [something]

Usage Note

Uncountable only. Refers to the atmosphere or quality, not a specific event. Distinguish from sense 4: 'a drama' (a countable event) vs 'drama' (uncountable, the quality of excitement).

Common Mistakes

The game had a lot of dramas.
The game had a lot of drama.
In this sense drama is uncountable, so 'dramas' (plural) is incorrect.
There was a drama in the match.
There was drama in the match.
When referring to excitement as a quality, do not use the indefinite article.
Idioms

make a drama out of something

idiom

To treat a minor issue as if it were a big, serious problem.

Mia made a drama out of losing her pen.

Why do you always make a drama out of a small mistake?

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These words all relate to television or film content but differ in scope. 'Drama' (sense 1) names a specific genre defined by serious or emotional storytelling, in contrast to comedy or documentary. 'Series' is a format term — any multi-episode show regardless of genre (a comedy series, a documentary series). 'Production' is a broader, more formal term that includes single films, plays, or TV episodes and focuses on the act of creating them. 'Programme' (UK) or 'show' (US) is the most general word for anything broadcast on TV. In practice: 'This drama series about lawyers is excellent' (genre + format); 'The production used a huge team of designers' (focus on creation); 'That programme is on at nine o'clock' (broadcast slot). Use 'drama' when you want to emphasise the serious or emotional nature of the story; use the other terms when genre is secondary.

drama ↗series ↗production ↗programme ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • drama school
  • drama student
  • drama critic
  • drama teacher
  • drama department
  • drama series
  • drama club

Adverbs

  • highly dramatic
  • deeply dramatic
  • genuinely dramatic

Phrases

  • a lot of drama
  • full of drama
  • plenty of drama

Prepositions

  • drama about
  • drama in
  • drama on
  • drama between

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'drama' comes from the Greek word 'dran', meaning 'to do' or 'to act'. Greek drama in the 5th century BC was a form of story acted out by performers, which is how the word came to refer to plays and performance. Over time, the meaning expanded beyond the theatre to describe any emotionally intense situation or exciting event in everyday life.