dramatise

dramatise — verb

1. to turn a novel, story, poem, or other written work into a script that actors ca

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to turn a novel, story, poem, or other written work into a script that actors can perform, whether on a theatre stage, on television, or in a film.

Example

Christopher decided to dramatise his favourite short story for the school play.

transitive: dramatise + story + for [medium]

The novel was dramatised for television and became a popular series.

passive: was dramatised for television

Common collocations
  • dramatise a novel/story/poem/memoir
  • dramatise for television/the stage/the screen
  • dramatised version
  • be dramatised as a film
Synonyms
  • adapt

    broader term — adapt can mean change for any purpose, while dramatise specifically targets performance

  • turn into a play

    more informal and specific to theatre, while dramatise also covers film and television

Grammar Patterns

dramatise + noun phrase + for [medium (television, stage, screen)]

be dramatised + as/by/for

Usage Note

Common in passive constructions (be dramatised). Often followed by 'for' + the performance medium (for television, for the stage). The US spelling is dramatize.

2. to describe an event, situation, or problem in a way that makes it appear far mo

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to describe an event, situation, or problem in a way that makes it appear far more exciting, serious, or extreme than the truth would suggest.

Example

Reema tends to dramatise small problems at work, making each one sound like a crisis.

collocation: dramatise + problem / situation / event

Zayd dramatised his account of the hike so much that his friends stopped believing him.

Common collocations
  • dramatise a situation/event/problem
  • dramatise things
  • tend to dramatise
  • heavily/somewhat dramatised
  • dramatised account/version
Synonyms
  • exaggerate

    more neutral in tone; dramatise adds a theatrical quality

  • overstate

    slightly more formal, often used in written language

  • sensationalise

    specifically about making news or stories more shocking than they are

Antonyms
  • downplay

    to make something seem less important than it really is — the opposite action

  • understate

    to describe something as smaller or less serious than it really is

Grammar Patterns

dramatise + noun phrase (event, situation, problem)

Usage Note

Often carries a negative connotation — the speaker implies the person is making something out to be more serious than it deserves. Common with adverbs that suggest a habit (tends to dramatise, always dramatises). Distinguish from sense 1 (ADAPT FOR PERFORMANCE), which refers to adapting written works for stage or screen.

Common Mistakes

She dramatised the novel for her English class presentation.' (when meaning she performed it).
She dramatised the novel for the school theatre.
sense 1 (ADAPT FOR PERFORMANCE) is for adapting written works into performance format; sense 2 (EXAGGERATE) is for describing events in an exaggerated way.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/2

Dramatise, exaggerate, overstate, and sensationalise all describe making something seem bigger, more important, or more extreme than it really is. Dramatise is the most theatrical — it often implies turning everyday events into a 'story' with added emotion and tension, as if on stage. Exaggerate is the most neutral and common word; it simply means making something larger or more intense than the truth ('He exaggerated the size of the fish he caught'). Overstate is slightly more formal and often used about numbers, claims, or importance ('The report overstated the financial losses'). Sensationalise is specifically about presenting news, stories, or information in a shocking or exciting way to attract attention, often with a negative judgement about the media ('The newspaper sensationalised the celebrity's private life'). Use dramatise when the person's behaviour feels like a performance or when they add emotional colour to a mundane event.

dramatise ↗exaggerate ↗overstate ↗sensationalise

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • heavily dramatised
  • highly dramatised
  • somewhat dramatised
  • slightly dramatised

Prepositions

  • dramatise for [medium] (sense 1 only)
  • dramatise into [form] (sense 1 only)

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

Dramatise comes from the word 'drama', which entered English from Latin, tracing back to the Greek word 'drama' (δρᾶμα), meaning 'action, play, deed'. The Greek root 'dran' means 'to do' or 'to act'. The verb form dramatise/dramatize emerged in the 18th century by adding the suffix -ise/-ize to 'drama', with the earliest sense being 'to compose a drama' or 'adapt for the stage'. The secondary meaning of exaggerating or overstating developed in the early 19th century, drawing on the idea of making everyday life resemble dramatic theatre.