dramatic
adjective
dra·mat·ic
drə-ˈma-tik 
1
literature
: of or relating to drama
a dramatic actor
… has earned three Oscar nominations for his dramatic roles …—
Nellie Andreeva
Nellie Andreeva… offers an outstanding vocal and dramatic performance …—Alison Norton
Alison Norton2
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
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
Jessica FoxI 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
Roseanne Chaeyoung Park3
of an opera singer
: having a powerful voice and a declamatory style compare lyric
Synonyms
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
Imagine the dramatic—not to mention comedic—tales buried in the vaults of a company that owns Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Tiffany & Co., and Dom Pérignon, among dozens of other top names.
—Christina Binkley, Robb Report, 27 Apr. 2024
Few real-world topics are more urgent than climate change, yet as dramatic feature-film material the meltdown of the planet has always had the potential to make one’s eyes glaze over.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 27 Apr. 2024
Deputies' bodycam video captured the dramatic moment Thursday when two officers — and their K9s — arrested a double murder suspect in a wooded area near Florida's Gulf Coast.
—Michael Roppolo, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2024
Ask what prompted such a dramatic change in his behavior after you got married.
—Harriette Cole, The Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2024
Rhode Island: Block Island Fieldstone walls hemming in emerald-green fields, Victorian buildings, and dramatic cliffs lashed by the Atlantic define Block Island.
—Anne Olivia Bauso, Travel + Leisure, 26 Apr. 2024
The tennis becomes more athletic, the shots more dramatic, sweat all but flooding the court.
—Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 26 Apr. 2024
Just an extra sweep of the deepest shade switched up the look from natural daytime to a dramatic sculpt for a night out.
—Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 25 Apr. 2024
Since President Biden met with the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, in California in November, the U.S.-China relationship has seemed more stable, with nothing like the dramatic ups and downs of the trade spats under former President Donald J. Trump.
—Ana Swanson, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2024
Christina Binkley, Robb Report, 27 Apr. 2024
Few real-world topics are more urgent than climate change, yet as dramatic feature-film material the meltdown of the planet has always had the potential to make one’s eyes glaze over.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 27 Apr. 2024
Deputies' bodycam video captured the dramatic moment Thursday when two officers — and their K9s — arrested a double murder suspect in a wooded area near Florida's Gulf Coast.
—Michael Roppolo, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2024
Ask what prompted such a dramatic change in his behavior after you got married.
—Harriette Cole, The Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2024
Rhode Island: Block Island Fieldstone walls hemming in emerald-green fields, Victorian buildings, and dramatic cliffs lashed by the Atlantic define Block Island.
—Anne Olivia Bauso, Travel + Leisure, 26 Apr. 2024
The tennis becomes more athletic, the shots more dramatic, sweat all but flooding the court.
—Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 26 Apr. 2024
Just an extra sweep of the deepest shade switched up the look from natural daytime to a dramatic sculpt for a night out.
—Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 25 Apr. 2024
Since President Biden met with the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, in California in November, the U.S.-China relationship has seemed more stable, with nothing like the dramatic ups and downs of the trade spats under former President Donald J. Trump.
—Ana Swanson, New York Times, 25 Apr. 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.
Articles Related to dramatic
Dictionary Entries Near dramatic
Cite this Entry
“Dramatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dramatic. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dramatic
adjective
dra·mat·ic
drə-ˈmat-ik
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
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