drastic

American  

[dras-tik] / ˈdræs tɪk /

adjective

1. extremely severe or extensive.

   a drastic tax-reduction measure.

2. (of medicines) acting with force or violence.

   a drastic laxative.

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drastic British  

/ ˈdræstɪk /

adjective

1. extreme or forceful; severe

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Other Word Forms

• drastically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of drastic

First recorded in 1685–95; from Greek drastikós “active,” equivalent to drast(ós) (verbal adjective of drân “to do”) + -ikos adjective suffix ( see -ic)

Explanation

Something that is drastic is violent, forceful, and extreme. If you are saving for a car and you only have $50, you need to make a drastic change to your money accumulation scheme. The word drastic comes from the Greek word for effective, but we use it to mean incredibly effective. If you want a drastic makeover, get rid of all your clothes, change your hair completely, and pick up a new way of speaking. Sometimes drastic action goes too far and so has bad consequences. A bankrupt company might make a drastic decision to fire the management without figuring out how to manage itself in the future.

Example Sentences

So any drastic changes in maps before the midterm elections remain to be seen.

From Slate • Apr. 30, 2026

Driver, putter and ball are usually the most crucial elements, so the move is not as drastic as it might appear.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

And foreign brands need to make "drastic decisions" that go beyond just product, said founder of Sino Auto Insights, Tu Le.

From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026

As lives and livelihoods come under threat, and close bonds begin to unravel, she is forced to make drastic choices to emerge unscathed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Yet drastic action was suddenly taken against them, under the end-justifies-the-means philosophy that has too long directed the control divisions of our Department of Agriculture.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Related Words

• dire
• forceful
• harsh
• radical