costume drama
noun
: a movie that is set in the past in which the actors are dressed like people from the past
Examples of costume drama in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Two years later, Byrne was in another costume drama: 2006’s Marie Antoinette, directed by Sofia Coppola.
—
Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
For a narrative in the tradition of British realism, the question is how to be an interesting twenty-first-century novel rather than a costume drama.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 31 Dec. 2025
The historical romantic costume drama is, by now, a cinematic china shop that demands a bull.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 6 Dec. 2025
It’s been 27 years since that Best Picture decision, which is exactly how long it’s been since a movie that has anything to do with Shakespeare or could credibly be called a costume drama has won Oscar’s big prize.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
Also presented for consideration was In the Moonlight, a 40-episode historical costume drama that releases in Q1 2026 and stars Bao Shangen and Wang Hongyi.
—Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025
The Buccaneers, which mixes soapy costume drama with Taylor Swift songs, has been well reviewed by critics (72% Rotten Tomatoes average) and has developed a devoted following but has not broken out the way some of Apple TV+’s broad-appeal hits have.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025
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Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
For a narrative in the tradition of British realism, the question is how to be an interesting twenty-first-century novel rather than a costume drama.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 31 Dec. 2025
The historical romantic costume drama is, by now, a cinematic china shop that demands a bull.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 6 Dec. 2025
It’s been 27 years since that Best Picture decision, which is exactly how long it’s been since a movie that has anything to do with Shakespeare or could credibly be called a costume drama has won Oscar’s big prize.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
Also presented for consideration was In the Moonlight, a 40-episode historical costume drama that releases in Q1 2026 and stars Bao Shangen and Wang Hongyi.
—Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025
The Buccaneers, which mixes soapy costume drama with Taylor Swift songs, has been well reviewed by critics (72% Rotten Tomatoes average) and has developed a devoted following but has not broken out the way some of Apple TV+’s broad-appeal hits have.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Costume drama.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/costume%20drama. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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