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Synonyms

dramatic

American  
[druh-mat-ik] / drəˈmæt ɪk /

adjective

  1. of or relating to the drama.

    Synonyms:
    theatrical
  2. employing the form or manner of the drama.

  3. characteristic of or appropriate to the drama, especially in involving conflict or contrast; vivid; moving.

    dramatic colors;

    a dramatic speech.

  4. highly effective; striking.

    The silence following his impassioned speech was dramatic.

    Synonyms:
    sensational, startling

dramatic British  
/ drəˈmætɪk /

adjective

  1. of or relating to drama

  2. like a drama in suddenness, emotional impact, etc

  3. striking; effective

  4. acting or performed in a flamboyant way

  5. music (of a voice) powerful and marked by histrionic quality

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • dramatically adverb
  • nondramatic adjective
  • overdramatic adjective
  • predramatic adjective
  • pseudodramatic adjective
  • quasi-dramatic adjective
  • semidramatic adjective
  • undramatic adjective

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

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.

Hotter furnaces and better steel, he reminds us, produced powerful engines for agriculture and energy generation and led to dramatic gains in food production and long-distance transportation.

From The Wall Street Journal

Within a few hundred thousand years of this dramatic increase, the earliest known microfossils of eukaryotes appear in the fossil record.

From Science Daily

With the seconds melting away, team captain Hilary Knight redirected a Laila Edwards slap shot between her legs and into the net to tie the score at 1-1—a dramatic goal to force overtime.

From The Wall Street Journal

The United States need an extra end to beat Switzerland 7-6 in a dramatic finish to qualify for the women's curling semi-finals, knocking Great Britain out of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

From BBC

But so far there have been no dramatic changes.

From Barron's