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
Joseph Wambaugh
also
: something (such as a novel) having such qualities
Synonyms
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
Two soap operas in particular, The Bold and the Beautiful and Santa Barbara, were massive in India.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2024
Except this isn’t a prime-time soap opera trying to write its way out of a jam.
—Nolan Hicks, Curbed, 14 Nov. 2024
Most Americans don't have time to listen to all of these, these – the soap opera of which comments people should be concerned about.
—NBC News, 3 Nov. 2024
Nicholas Pryor, whose nearly seven-decade acting career included hundreds of episodes of soap operas, playing Tom Cruise’s dad in Risky Business and Kathleen Robertson’s dad on Beverly Hills, 90210, died October 7.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for soap opera 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2024
Except this isn’t a prime-time soap opera trying to write its way out of a jam.
—Nolan Hicks, Curbed, 14 Nov. 2024
Most Americans don't have time to listen to all of these, these – the soap opera of which comments people should be concerned about.
—NBC News, 3 Nov. 2024
Nicholas Pryor, whose nearly seven-decade acting career included hundreds of episodes of soap operas, playing Tom Cruise’s dad in Risky Business and Kathleen Robertson’s dad on Beverly Hills, 90210, died October 7.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for soap opera
Articles Related to soap opera
Dictionary Entries Near soap opera
Cite this Entry
“Soap opera.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soap%20opera. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share