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

Balancing business and pleasure exquisitely, watching Scandal is like indulging in a potboiler soap opera and political satire all at once. —Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 22 Dec. 2024

The 21-year-old actor, who was on the popular soap opera from 2018 until 2023, opened up to TV Insider about appearing on the show for the holidays. —Liza Esquibias, People.com, 17 Dec. 2024

The always hilarious Luke Wilson portrays down-and-out soap opera actor JD Campbell, whose money-hungry, cheating wife Margo Starling, played by Linda Cardellini, is burning through his money. —Dana Feldman, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024

As previously reported, The Talk will be replaced by Beyond the Gates, daytime’s first new soap opera in a quarter-century, which will premiere Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. —Nick Caruso, TVLine, 16 Dec. 2024

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