soap opera

noun

1

a

: a serial drama performed originally on a daytime radio or television program and chiefly characterized by tangled interpersonal situations and melodramatic or sentimental treatment

b

: a series of real-life events resembling a soap opera

2

: the melodrama and sentimentality characteristic of a soap opera

even cops need a little soap opera in their lives

—Joseph Wambaugh

also : something (such as a novel) having such qualities

soap-operatic

ˈsōp-ˌä-pə-ˈra-tik 

adjective

Synonyms

• corn
• goo
• mush
• schmaltz
• schmalz
• sludge
• slush
• sorghum

Examples of soap opera in a Sentence

She loves to watch daytime soap operas.

the movie started out well, but quickly devolved into improbable soap opera

Recent Examples on the Web

The two both appeared together on the soap opera All My Children that same year. —Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 14 Mar. 2025

The actor, 39, is saying goodbye to Days of Our Lives after 10 years playing Chad DiMera on the popular soap opera. —Liza Esquibias, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025

But with most projectors, even the lowest setting for the feature adds a digital video effect—also called a soap opera effect—that makes film look like live video. —PCMAG, 12 Mar. 2025

The daytime talk show host and former soap opera star was joined by her husband of nearly 29 years, Mark Consuelos. —Julia Teti, WWD, 28 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

from its sponsorship by soap manufacturers

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

soap opera

noun

: a radio or television drama presented in a series of continuing stories and characters and intended to appeal to the emotions

Etymology

so called because the advertisers on these programs were usually soap manufacturers