traumatic
Americanadjective
-
of, relating to, or produced by a trauma or wound.
-
adapted to the cure of wounds.
-
psychologically painful.
Other Word Forms
- traumatically adverb
- untraumatic adjective
Etymology
Origin of traumatic
First recorded in 1650–60; from Late Latin traumaticus, from Greek traumatikós “pertaining to wounds,” from traumat- (stem of traûma trauma ) + -ikos -ic
Explanation
Something is traumatic if it's very upsetting, painful, or disturbing. The word is related to a Greek word meaning "wound," so you can think of traumatic as something involving a wound, either physical or mental. Your brother's reckless driving could make getting to school a traumatic experience in terms of your mental health. Traumatic can also describe a major physical injury, such as a traumatic brain injury. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a medical term used to describe the lasting and debilitating effects of something awful you've experienced, such as witnessing a disaster or suffering a major injury during combat.
Vocabulary lists containing traumatic
Vocabulary from "Stop Expecting Games to Build Empathy" by Julie Muncy
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Game Changer
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Tears of a Tiger
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
People are driven to "the really extreme negative ones… the ones that people say they had a traumatic experience, the ones where someone had a blood clot," she adds.
From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026
Our hope was that it would be less traumatic than a flight for her first long stretch in a pet carrier.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
For example, disruptions in this drainage system may play a role after traumatic brain injury or in neurodegenerative diseases.
From Science Daily • Apr. 9, 2026
War is always traumatic but this one may have an unexpected consequence.
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
If it had been arduous and traumatic, then I'd be savoring every second of the occasion.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
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.
