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Glite Dictionary
to theatricalize

to theatricalize

1 7.6
To make something more dramatic and like a stage show
  • verb
  • /θiˈætrɪkəˌlaɪz/
: teatralizar
  • To captivate the audience, the playwright chose to theatricalize the historical events with exaggerated characters and costumes.

Examples

  • Hiroshima, in this context, is theatricalized as the ritualized ceremonies—parades of memory.

    Academic text (1997)

  • This painting and the procession are public displays—constructed and theatricalized renditions that attempt to legitimize power and authority.

    Academic text (2004)

  • The director decided to theatricalize the story by adding dramatic lighting and music during the performance.

  • They aimed to theatricalize the mundane meeting by introducing a dramatic script and scripted interactions.

Synonyms

to play up
vsto theatricalize
30 4.3

Make something seem more important or impressive than it is

aims to shape it for theatrical presentation rather than only drawing attention
to dramatize
vsto theatricalize
12 4.2

To make something seem more exciting or important than it really is

focuses on changing it for stage use rather than only increasing excitement
to melodramatize
vsto theatricalize
1 7.7

To make something seem more emotional and dramatic than it is

aims to make it fit stage performance rather than overdo emotion
to adopt
vsto theatricalize
1 4.5

To change a book into a play or film

tends to add drama or stage changes instead of neutral adaptation

Antonyms

to downplay
62 5.3

Show something as less important or serious than it is

How Theatrical

to sensationalize
  • Literature
12 6.8
to embellish
28 6.1
to theatricalize
1 7.6
to adapt
130 3.2
to simplify
104 2.5

Surface Forms

theatricalize infinitive
theatricalized past
theatricalized past participle
theatricalizing present participle
theatricalizes third person singular

Morphology

theatricalize = theatrical (transparent) = theatre + ical + ize

Forming a verb by adding the productive suffix '-ize' to 'theatrical' yields the clear meaning 'make or render theatrical'.

Etymology

Theatricalize comes from theatre, the place where people watch plays, and the ending -ize, which means 'make' or 'become'. So to theatricalize something is to 'make it like a play' by adding extra drama, big gestures, or stage-style effects, which is why it means to make something more dramatic or fit for a show.