Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense dramatizes, present participle dramatizing, past tense, past participle dramatizedregional note: in BRIT, also use dramatise
1. verb [usually passive]
If a book or story is dramatized, it is written or presented as a play, film, or television drama.
His life was dramatized in an award-winning movie. [beVERB-ed]
...a dramatisation of D H Lawrence's novel, 'Lady Chatterley's Lover'.
2. verb
If you say that someone dramatizes a situation or event, you mean that they try to make it seem more serious, more important, or more exciting than it really is.
[disapproval]
They have a tendency to show off, to dramatize almost every situation. [VERB noun]
[Also VERB]
Synonyms: exaggerate, overdo, overstate, lay it on (thick) [slang] More Synonyms of dramatize
3. verb
If something that happens or is done dramatizes a situation, it focuses people's attention on the situation in a dramatic way.
More than 400 exiles were on a dawn-to-dusk hunger strike to dramatize their plight. [VERB noun]
The need for change has been dramatized by plummeting bank profits. [VERB noun]
More Synonyms of dramatize
dramatize in British English
or dramatise (ˈdræməˌtaɪz)
verb
1. (transitive)
to put into dramatic form
2.
to express or represent (something) in a dramatic or exaggerated way
he dramatizes his illness
Derived forms
dramatizable (ˈdramaˌtizable) or dramatisable (ˈdramaˌtisable)
adjective
dramatizer (ˈdramaˌtizer) or dramatiser (ˈdramaˌtiser)
noun
dramatize in American English
(ˈdræməˌtaɪz; ˈdrɑməˌtaɪz)
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈdramaˌtized or ˈdramaˌtizing
1.
to make into a drama; adapt (a story, events, etc.) for performance on the stage, in a film, etc.
2.
to regard or present (actions, oneself, etc.) as though in a play; give dramatic quality to
verb intransitive
3.
to be capable of being dramatized
4.
to dramatize oneself
Word origin
< LL drama (gen. dramatis), drama + -ize
Examples of 'dramatize' in a sentence
dramatize
Die-ing is intended to dramatize this above all: there is nothing to fear, there is no failure.
Luke Rhinehart THE BOOK OF THE DIE (2000)
In other languages
dramatize
British English: dramatize VERB
If a book or story is dramatized, it is written or presented as a play, film, or television drama.
…a dramatized version of the novel.
American English: dramatize
Brazilian Portuguese: dramatizar
Chinese: 把 > 改编为剧本 小说、故事等
European Spanish: adaptar
French: adapter
German: dramatisieren
Italian: adattare per la rappresentazione
Japanese: >劇化する本，物語を
Korean: 각색되다
European Portuguese: dramatizar
Latin American Spanish: adaptar
1 (verb)
Definition
to rewrite (a book or story) in a form suitable for performing on stage
The novel has been dramatized.
Synonyms
adapt for the stage
turn into a play
present as a play
put into dramatic form
2 (verb)
Definition
to express (something) in a dramatic or exaggerated way
They have a tendency to dramatize every situation.
Synonyms
exaggerate
He tends to exaggerate the importance of his job.
overdo
He overdid his usually quite funny vitriol.
overstate
The importance of health education cannot be overstated.
lay it on (thick) (slang)
play-act
play to the gallery
make a performance of
Additional synonyms
in the sense of overdo
Definition
to exaggerate (something)
He overdid his usually quite funny vitriol.
Synonyms
exaggerate,
overstate,
overuse,
overplay,
do to death (informal),
belabour,
carry or take too far,
make a production (out) of (informal),
lay (something) on thick (informal)
in the sense of overstate
Definition
to state (something) too strongly
The importance of health education cannot be overstated.