4 syllables: me, lo, dra, ma. Stress on me.
MEL-uh-drah-muh
/ˈmɛləˌdɹɑmə/
melodrama is pronounced MEL-uh-drah-muh (/ˈmɛləˌdɹɑmə/). It has four syllables (me-lo-dra-ma), with the stress on "me". Melodrama refers to a sensational dramatic work with exaggerated emotion and plot, typically featuring clear good/bad characters and melodious, heightened action. In everyday use, it also describes overly theatrical behavior or scenery. The term combines musical or lyrical precedence with drama, implying an excess of sentiment and simplified character psychology.
Melodrama refers to a sensational dramatic work with exaggerated emotion and plot, typically featuring clear good/bad characters and melodious, heightened action. In everyday use, it also describes overly theatrical behavior or scenery. The term combines musical or lyrical precedence with drama, implying an excess of sentiment and simplified character psychology.
"She dismissed his reactions as melodrama, insisting he overreacted to a minor disagreement."
"The film’s plot twists and dramatic score gave it a classic melodrama feel."
"Her memoir read like a melodrama, with climactic events and vivid, emotional language."
You say /ˌmɛl.əˈdrɑː.mə/ in US English, with primary stress on the third syllable “dra.” In UK English it’s /ˌmɛl.əˈdræ.mə/ with a shorter first vowel and more fronted “æ” in the second vowel. Start with MES-syllable stress, then looser final syllables. Practice slowly: mel-o-dra-ma, then speed up while keeping the stress on the “dra.” Audio reference: you can compare with widely used dictionaries or pronunciation platforms.
Common errors include stressing the wrong syllable (often stressing the first or second instead of the third), and mispronouncing the middle vowel as a schwa or a shorter /æ/ when the standard is /ə/ or /æ/ depending on dialect. Also, endings like /drə/ or /dræmə/ should be clearly articulated with a light, unstressed final /mə/. Focus on keeping the /dr/ cluster crisp and ensuring the final /mə/ is reduced rather than fully enunciated.
In US English, the middle syllable often carries a reduced /ə/ (mel-ə-DRAM-ə), with the third syllable stressed. UK tends toward a more open /æ/ in the second vowel (mel-ə-DRÆ-mə) and sometimes a slightly shorter final /ə/. Australian pronunciation is similar to US but may feature a softer /ə/ in the first and second syllables and a slightly rounded /ɒ/ for the /dræ/ portion in some speakers. Overall, stress pattern remains on the third syllable across accents.
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllabic rhythm and the vowel sequence between /mɛl/ and /dræ/ (or /drɑː/), plus proper unstressed syllable articulation. Feet rhythm makes the third syllable prominent, while the surrounding vowels should be concise. Learners often blend the second and third syllables or misplace stress, producing mele-DRAM-a or mel-O-DRAM-a erroneously. Working with IPA and slow phoneme-by-phoneme practice helps you lock the correct timing.
A unique aspect is the 'dra' cluster, where the alveolar /d/ pairs with /r/ to create a fast, rolling consonant transition into the open vowel of the third syllable. Practicing the sequence mel-ə-DRAM-ə with a clear /dr/ onset and a light, unstressed final /ə/ helps avoid slurring into mel-ə-DRAM-ə. This makes the third syllable stand out without over-emphasizing the final vowel.
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Melodrama emerged in late 18th- to early 19th-century Europe as a compound of two elements: melody and drama. The root word melody derives from the Greek melos meaning song andaeidein meaning to sing; drama derives from Greek drama, literally “a thing done.” The term originally described transcriptions or stage works that paired musical accompaniment with overtly emotional storytelling, seeking to evoke strong feelings through song-like phrasing and heightened acting. By the 1820s–1830s, melodrama described a genre of theater and later film characterized by clear moral dichotomies, suspenseful plots, sensational music, and emotionally explicit scenes. In English-speaking criticism, melodrama became shorthand for exaggerated emotionalism and simplistic moral portrayals, a contrast to more nuanced, naturalistic drama. Today, melodrama also refers to any narrative or behavior perceived as excessively sentimental or theatrical, not strictly tied to music, illustrating how the original musical-tinged emphasis broadened into broader cultural usage.
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Words that rhyme with "melodrama"
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