dramatically

[druh-mat-ik-lee]

adverb

1. in a way that relates to plays or the theater; in or as a play.

   The author's choice of words may imply that his text is to be read aloud or acted out dramatically.

2. in a way characteristic of or appropriate to the theater, especially in involving conflict, intense emotion, or exaggerated speech or action.

   The speaker was quite a showman, first crouching behind the lectern, then rising up dramatically to demonstrate the rapid progress of some nations.

3. in a way that is typical of a play in form or structure.

   The film is dramatically structured—not in its narrative form, but in the way it focuses on the faces, bodies, and voices of specific performers.

4. in a striking way; with a striking effect or to a striking degree.

   During Hurricane Sandy, mobile internet usage spiked dramatically as people went online to get answers.

   Her dark hat and scarf dramatically set off her pale and delicate features.

Other Word Forms

• nondramatically adverb
• overdramatically adverb
• pseudodramatically adverb
• quasi-dramatically adverb
• semidramatically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of dramatically¹

dramatic ( def. ) + -ally ( def. )

Example Sentences

Although our date had veered dramatically, I saw in Joyce a resilience that I admired.

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China is dramatically expanding a sophisticated, diverse missile force.

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Granting the ability would also dramatically shorten the timeline for South Korea to produce a nuclear weapon—if Seoul ever chose to go down that route.

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“Women are having fewer babies and the U.S. is welcoming dramatically less immigrants,” Romig said.

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Such behavior could dramatically boost the performance of electronic and quantum devices while reducing power consumption.

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Related Words

• adequately 
• completely 
• definitely 
• energetically www.thesaurus.com
• finally 
• forcefully www.thesaurus.com
• productively www.thesaurus.com

When To Use

What does dramatically mean?

Dramatically means done in a striking or theatrical way, as if acting.When used literally, dramatically is used when someone does something for the sake of a performance, as in a play. Drama describes the art of writing or producing a play, and something that is done dramatically is done in an effort to further that play.More often, the term dramatically is used figuratively to describe someone being overly flamboyant or petty. Someone who is acting dramatically may display their emotions for the sake of seeking attention or may respond in an argument with undue levels of anger or harshness.Example: The kids always act dramatically when I say we can’t have pizza for dinner.