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sudser

8.6

A very emotional TV show or movie like a soap opera that often makes you cry

noun
/ˈsʌd.zər/

Archaic

: telenovela

Fans of dramatic storytelling often tune in to watch the latest episode of their favorite sudser filled with twists and romantic conflicts.

Examples

The new movie is a classic sudser that will tug at your heartstrings.
She loves watching a good sudser on rainy afternoons to relax and unwind.
Last night's sudser had everyone reaching for tissues by the end of the episode.
I can't believe how dramatic that sudser was!
She loves watching a good sudser on weekends.
After a long day, she enjoys relaxing by watching a soap opera, or sudser, that keeps her emotionally engaged.
The new sudser has captivated audiences with its intense love triangles and unexpected plot twists.

Synonyms

soap opera

vssudser

80 2.3

A TV drama that follows the daily lives and relationships of people

is an informal label that also covers films, stories, or rarely a beer

telenovela

vssudser

12 3.8

A TV drama from Latin America that tells one long romantic story in many episodes

is a general informal term for melodramatic shows rather than region specific series

soaper

vssudser

6.0

A long TV drama with ongoing stories about relationships

is broader slang for any melodramatic show or rarely a beer

How Melodramatic

tearjerker

Informal

5 4.2

sudser

Archaic

8.6

melodrama

35 6.3

drama

239 1.8

Surface Forms

sudser singular

sudsers plural

Morphology

sudser = suds (opaque) = suds + er

The word is formally built from 'suds' + '-er', but the sense 'soap opera' is a conventionalized slang extension rather than a predictable compositional meaning.

Etymology

Sudser comes from the word suds ('soap foam') and the idea of the soap opera, which were old dramatic shows paid for by soap makers. So, a sudser is an emotional TV show or film that is full of tears and big feelings.