English · Word Candidate

theatrical

/θiːˈætɹɪkəl/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: theatricals

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Of or relating to the theatre.

Adjective

Examples

12 July 2012, Sam Adams, AV Club Ice Age: Continental Drift The matter of whether the world needs a fourth Ice Age movie pales beside the question of why there were three before it, but Continental Drift feels less like an extension of a theatrical franchise than an episode of a middling TV cartoon,

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Fake and exaggerated.

Adjective

Examples

The ceremony and its scene were characterised by that high sense of the theatrical which has marked the activities of the Third Reich.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

A stage performance, especially one by amateurs.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Meaning · English

A commercially produced film to be shown in movie theaters.

Noun

Examples

Release schedules were stepped up so that virtually all of the summer theatricals are coming to video before year's end.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “theatrical” mean?

Of or relating to the theatre.

Is “theatrical” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.