dramatize

verb

dra·​ma·​tize ˈdra-mə-ˌtīz  ˈdrä- 

dramatized; dramatizing

transitive verb

1

: to adapt (something, such as a novel) for theatrical presentation

2

: to present or represent in a dramatic manner

intransitive verb

1

: to be suitable for dramatization

2

: to behave dramatically

dramatizable

ˈdra-mə-ˌtī-zə-bəl 

ˈdrä-

adjective

Examples of dramatize in a Sentence

The movie dramatizes her early life.

The book is dramatized in a new play.

I know I tend to dramatize things but it really was awful.

She cited a series of statistics to dramatize the seriousness of the problem.

This tragedy dramatizes the need for improvements in highway safety.

Recent Examples on the Web

This clever, focus-shifting structure allows showrunners Robbins and Sarah Sutherland to dramatize the most lurid, horror-movie aspects of the story without appearing to endorse one version over another. —Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 19 Mar. 2025

No playwright of the modern era has more compassionately — or accurately — dramatized the human consciousness of time, loss and the gap between hope and reality. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2025

That clash plays out in scenes that dramatize a grand theoretical conflict between science and the dark arts. —Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024

Directed and co-written by Alex Parkinson, Last Breath dramatizes the true story of a saturation-diving accident that took place off the coast of Scotland in 2012, and is based on Parkinson and Richard da Costa's 2019 documentary of the same name. —Megan McCluskey, TIME, 1 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

dramat-, stem in derivation of drama + -ize

First Known Use

1783, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for dramatize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• agonize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize

Kids Definition

dramatize

verb

dram·​a·​tize

ˈdram-ə-ˌtīz,

ˈdräm-

1

: to make into a drama

2

: to present or represent in a dramatic manner

dramatization

ˌdram-ət-ə-ˈzā-shən

ˌdräm-

noun