dramatic

adjective

dra·​mat·​ic drə-ˈma-tik How to pronounce dramatic (audio)
1
literature : of or relating to drama
a dramatic actor
… has earned three Oscar nominations for his dramatic roles …Nellie Andreeva
… offers an outstanding vocal and dramatic performance …Alison Norton
2
a
: suitable to or characteristic of drama (as in being very exciting or moving)
a dramatic story
a dramatic attempt to escape
a dramatic comeback
b
: sudden and extreme
a dramatic increase/decrease in sales
a dramatic improvement
The changes have had a dramatic impact.
c
: striking in appearance or effect
The speaker made a dramatic pause before the big announcement.
… made a dramatic entrance … in a larger-than-life princess ballgown that encompassed the red carpet.Alyssa Morin
d
: having or showing a tendency to behave or react in an exaggerated way
a dramatic sigh
'This is the most beautiful place in the world,' I gasped. 'You're so dramatic, Jessica,' he said, laughing.Jessica Fox
I started to think, "What if people aren't interested in me, or us, by the end of this pandemic? What am I going to do for the rest of my life?" I don't know why I thought like that. Now that I think about it, I'm so dramatic.Roseanne Chaeyoung Park
3
of an opera singer : having a powerful voice and a declamatory style compare lyric
dramatically adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for dramatic

dramatic, theatrical, histrionic, melodramatic mean having a character or an effect like that of acted plays.

dramatic applies to situations in life and literature that stir the imagination and emotions deeply.

a dramatic meeting of world leaders

theatrical implies a crude appeal through artificiality or exaggeration in gesture or vocal expression.

a theatrical oration

histrionic applies to tones, gestures, and motions and suggests a deliberate affectation or staginess.

a histrionic show of grief

melodramatic suggests an exaggerated emotionalism or an inappropriate theatricalism.

made a melodramatic plea

Examples of dramatic in a Sentence

His parents noticed a dramatic change in his behavior. There was a dramatic increase in prices. The book tells the dramatic story of her battle with cancer. She made a dramatic entrance wearing a bright red dress. There was a dramatic pause before his big announcement. The painter used dramatic colors. They are members of the local dramatic society.
Recent Examples on the Web In few other places has the revival been as dramatic as in the Malaysian state of Sarawak on the northwestern coast of Borneo, where about 40 percent of the population of 2.5 million has Indigenous heritage. Rebecca Tan, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024 The author's hair and makeup completed the dramatic effect of her look. Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 21 Mar. 2024 Along with the gorgeous wardrobe, sunshine, and palm trees, perhaps the most dramatic details of the 10-episode series are found in the interiors. Sharon Greenthal, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Mar. 2024 Most of his dramatic features are put together from disparate pieces—not merely, like most films, scenes held together by plot but collages of sequences touching on many stories and subjects and held together not by the power of ideas. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2024 This is obviously an overly dramatic way of explaining that, but that’s what the connection is. Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2024 Gray whales seem to have gone through these more dramatic vacillations, enduring three different periods of major mortalities and bouncing back before the most recent five-year event. Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024 Within a year of its construction, this prehistoric idyll met a dramatic end. Franz Lidz, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2024 Boeing problems also getting attention Beyond the problems on United flights, the most dramatic Boeing incident this year involved an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 that lost a door plug in a January 5 flight, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the plane. Pete Muntean, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dramatic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see drama

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dramatic was in 1589

Dictionary Entries Near dramatic

Cite this Entry

“Dramatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dramatic. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dramatic

adjective
dra·​mat·​ic drə-ˈmat-ik How to pronounce dramatic (audio)
1
: of or relating to drama
a dramatic actor
2
a
: suitable to or resembling that of drama
a dramatic escape
b
: attracting attention
made a dramatic entrance
dramatically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on dramatic

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