traumatic
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or produced by a trauma or wound.
-
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.
In December 2017, Joanna walked into Totnes Police Station to report what she describes as "traumatic memories" from almost three decades earlier.
From BBC • May 28, 2026
Firefighters responded to the scene of a traumatic injury involving skydivers near the 600 block of East Ellis Avenue just before 2 p.m., according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026
Many physical illnesses—particularly pain conditions, he told me—are deeply intertwined with unresolved traumatic experiences stored in the body.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
Turning the page didn’t work after the most traumatic event in American history.
From Salon • May 18, 2026
The day your list came out wasn’t too traumatic.
From "Thirteen Reasons Why" by Jay Asher
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.
