1. Television programs that blend documentary realism with soap opera-style narrative elements, typically following the lives of real people in dramatic situations.
Usage: plural form; informal; chiefly British

Examples

• The network launched several docusoaps that followed families dealing with everyday crises.
• Docusoaps became popular in the 1990s as a hybrid between traditional documentaries and scripted dramas.
• Critics argued that docusoaps exploited real people's problems for entertainment value.
• The success of early docusoaps paved the way for modern reality television.
• Many viewers found docusoaps more engaging than conventional documentaries because of their narrative structure.