traumatic
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or produced by a trauma or wound.
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adapted to the cure of wounds.
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psychologically painful.
Other Word Forms
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
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Game Changer
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Tears of a Tiger
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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.
Most every character gets some backstory, some traumatic.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
I would not recommend a lengthy, traumatic or costly court procedure that would likely end up back to where you started, only with a pile of legal bills.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026
Despite the traumatic experience, Gil appeared in good spirits 72 hours after being freed from the hole where he was buried beneath a collapsing eight-story building.
From Barron's ● Jul. 5, 2026
Over three trips to World Cups held south of the border—1970, 1986, and 2026—England has been subjected to some of the most traumatic episodes in the nation’s already excruciating football history.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
I have friends who wouldn’t think of allowing their children to attend a funeral for fear of inflicting traumatic scars.
From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez
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.
