theater
noun
the·ater
| \ ˈthē-ə-tər
, ˈthēə-, usually in Southern ˈthē-ˌā- also thē-ˈā-
\
, ˈthēə-, usually in Southern ˈthē-ˌā- also thē-ˈā-
\
variants:
or theatre
Definition of theater
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: a building or area for dramatic performances
b
: a building or area for showing motion pictures
c
: an outdoor structure for dramatic performances or spectacles in ancient Greece and Rome
3
: a place or sphere of enactment of usually significant events or action
the theater of public life
4a
: a place rising by steps or gradations
a woody theater of stateliest view— John Milton
b
: a room often with rising tiers of seats for assemblies (as for lectures or surgical demonstrations)
5a
: dramatic or theatrical quality or effectiveness
c
: entertainment in the form of a dramatic or diverting situation or series of events
their public feud made for good theater
theater
adjectiveDefinition of theater (Entry 2 of 2)
: of, relating to, or appropriate for use in a theater of operations
theater nuclear weapons
Keep scrolling for more
Examples of theater in a Sentence
Noun
the oldest theater in the city the theater district in New York City The film is now showing in theaters. We enjoyed a weekend of music, dance, and theater. He was very fond of the theater and had purchased tickets for several performances. Her interests include theater and poetry. the theater of 16th-century England She majored in theater in college. a course in American theater His monologues made for good theater.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Most people today are watching these classic films at home rather than in movie theaters, making Filmmaker Mode of particular importance when presenting these films, which have specifications unique to being shot on film, on celluloid. — Isaac Feldberg, Fortune, "Hollywood Heavies Unite Against TV ‘Motion-Smoothing’ With ‘Filmmaker Mode’ Setting," 28 Aug. 2019 After invading in 1940, Nazi leaders settled into Paris’s luxury hotels, and hobnobbed at theaters and fine restaurants. — Washington Post, "Paris celebrates the day 75 years ago when the Nazis surrendered," 27 Aug. 2019 From 2009 to 2018, Boggs used the victims’ investment accounts to make 244 payments totaling $1.93 million to his American Express card to cover charges for hotels, airfare, restaurants, theaters and other personal expenses. — Jason Meisner, chicagotribune.com, "Financial adviser accused of swindling one of the ‘Dixmoor 5’ out of settlement money from infamous wrongful conviction case," 26 Aug. 2019 After invading in 1940, the Nazi hierarchy ensconced themselves in Paris’s luxury hotels and hobnobbed at theaters and fine restaurants. — Elaine Ganley, BostonGlobe.com, "Paris celebrats its liberation from the Nazis 75 years ago," 25 Aug. 2019 Vita & Virginia, debuting in theaters tomorrow, tells the story of the affair between the reedy British novelist Virginia Woolf (Elizabeth Debicki) and Lady Vita Sackville-West (Gemma Arterton), an eccentric and willful aristocrat. — Vogue, "Inspired by Vita & Virginia, 5 Takes on English Country Style," 22 Aug. 2019 More than 95 percent of movies stop earning their keep in theaters at the 42-day mark, well short of the three-month window demanded by major chains, according to Mr. Aronson. — Nicole Sperling, New York Times, "Scorsese’s New Mob Epic, ‘The Irishman,’ Has Netflix and Theaters at Odds," 21 Aug. 2019 Every Pixar movie except Toy Story 4 (which recently came out in theaters) will be available on Disney+ at launch. — Adam Epstein, Quartzy, "A cord-cutter’s guide to all the big new streaming services," 18 Aug. 2019 Neighborhood schools and churches throughout Oregon and Washington have been creatively repurposed into thriving pubs, restaurants, theaters and retail shops. — Dp Opinion, The Denver Post, "Letters: A stay-at-home strategy to combat gun violence (8/10/19)," 11 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'theater.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for theater
theater
noun
English Language Learners Definition of theater
: a building where plays, shows, etc., are performed on a stage
US
: a building or room in which movies are shown
: plays in general or as a form of entertainment
See the full definition for theater in the English Language Learners Dictionary
theater
noun
the·ater
variants:
or theatre \ ˈthē-ə-tər \
Kids Definition of theater
1
: a building in which plays, motion pictures, or shows are presented
2
: the art or profession of producing plays
3
: plays or the performance of plays
4
: a place or area where some important action is carried on
a theater of war
theater
noun
the·ater
variants:
or theatre \ ˈthē-ət-ər
\
\