dramatic
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to the drama.
- Synonyms:
- theatrical
-
employing the form or manner of the drama.
-
characteristic of or appropriate to the drama, especially in involving conflict or contrast; vivid; moving.
dramatic colors;
a dramatic speech.
-
highly effective; striking.
The silence following his impassioned speech was dramatic.
- Synonyms:
- sensational, startling
adjective
-
of or relating to drama
-
like a drama in suddenness, emotional impact, etc
-
striking; effective
-
acting or performed in a flamboyant way
-
music (of a voice) powerful and marked by histrionic quality
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of dramatic
First recorded in 1580–90; from Late Latin drāmaticus, from Greek drāmatikós, equivalent to drāmat- (stem of drâma ) drama + -ikos -ic
Explanation
Dramatic means having to do with a play, as in “a dramatic production.” It also means striking or exaggerated. Half an hour of exercise a day can have a dramatic effect on your physical well being. If you burst into tears when you get a B on a paper and wail, “Now I’m never going to get into college,” you can be accused of being dramatic, which means you’re acting out your reaction, or overly dramatic, which means your reaction is over the top.
Vocabulary lists containing dramatic
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
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Steve Jobs's Commencement Address (2005)
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Speech and Debate
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
More than a year of whipsawing tariff policy has caused dramatic swings in U.S. trade flows—but so far, little fundamental change in America’s identity as a major net importer.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
The final putt — two feet, 10 inches — was appropriately dramatic, teetering along the left edge before curling back into the cup.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
“When one billionaire moves into a neighborhood, others follow. When combine that with historically constrained inventory and an increasingly concentrated buyer pool, dramatic price premiums become an entirely predictable outcome.”
From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026
Zverev's ability to inject more pace in the baseline exchanges helped him decisively break in the 10th game of the third set, but tension took hold in a dramatic fourth set.
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
We watched the picture and, boy, was it ever dramatic.
From Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
