drastic
Americanadjective
-
extremely severe or extensive.
a drastic tax-reduction measure.
-
(of medicines) acting with force or violence.
a drastic laxative.
adjective
Other Word Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing drastic
"Sorry, Wrong Number," Vocabulary from the play
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Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie
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Catching Fire
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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.
That athletic legacy is especially important in this turbulent time, when it seems like not a week goes by without another drastic disruption in the way college sports are run.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
“When a new speedrun world record is on the line, drastic measures must be taken,” Maayah said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
The boss of German carmaker Volkswagen warned workers on Tuesday to brace for more job losses, earning boos and jeers from the crowd, as the crisis-hit company faces a drastic round of cost-cutting.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
He also added that he was pleased with the drastic reduction in illegal border crossings.
From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2026
Tired of poor living and working conditions, they wanted a simple but drastic solution.
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
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.
