comic-opera

1 of 2

adjective

com·​ic-op·​era ˈkä-mik-ˈä-p(ə-)rə How to pronounce comic-opera (audio)
: not to be taken seriously
a comic-opera regime

comic opera

2 of 2

noun

: opera of a humorous character with a happy ending and usually some spoken dialogue

Examples of comic-opera in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
And it can be presented as a kind of comic-opera affair. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 27 Nov. 2024 Rather, inflation had arisen from supply chain foul-ups caused by the Covid epidemic, an act of God rendered worse by comic-opera mismanagement under President Donald Trump. Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 30 June 2023
Noun
The late justices Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, ideological opposites, famously bonded over their love for opera — a friendship that inspired a comic opera in 2015. Rachel Treisman, NPR, 16 Dec. 2024 His formidable rich voice voice always carried the gaiety of a comic opera basso. John Mariani, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for comic-opera 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1891, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1706, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of comic-opera was in 1706

Dictionary Entries Near comic-opera

comico-

comic-opera

comic opera

Cite this Entry

“Comic-opera.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comic-opera. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!