dramatic

adjective

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dra·mat·ic | \ drə-ˈma-tik

Definition of dramatic

1 literature : of or relating to the drama a dramatic actor

2a : suitable to or characteristic of the drama a dramatic story a dramatic attempt to escape a dramatic comeback

b : striking in appearance or effect a dramatic pause

3 of an opera singer : having a powerful voice and a declamatory style — compare lyric

Other Words from dramatic Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about dramatic

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Synonyms & Antonyms for dramatic

Synonyms

Antonyms

undramatic

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 The committee for weeks has been carving up Evers's spending plan and the new revenue estimate will give it a chance to make even more dramatic changes to his proposal. — Patrick Marley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8 June 2021 The Clippers’ moves and machinations were more … dramatic. — Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 7 June 2021 Although Wright has historically been best known for comedy—particularly his Cornetto movie trilogy, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World's End—he's recently moved into more dramatic work, including the 2017 action film Baby Driver. — Emma Dibdin, Town & Country, 6 June 2021 Jeyifous's MoMA exhibition piece, The Frozen Neighborhoods, speaks to an Afrofuturist adaptation of the world after a similar ecological tragedy, with a much more dramatic and devastating ending than the one that’s listed. — Kristen Jeffers, House Beautiful, 4 June 2021 But the handful of Democrats on the Zoom call at 4 p.m. that day thought a more dramatic step was the best option available, if only the most certain to derail the bill. — Cayla Harris, San Antonio Express-News, 3 June 2021 My windshield held even more dramatic views on the next two-hour stint to Ash Springs, where highways 6 and 375 skirted the Area 51 Nuclear Test Site while the red mountains of southern Nevada beckoned ahead. — Rosemary Behan, WSJ, 3 June 2021 In one of Field’s studies, elderly people who massaged babies experienced even more dramatic benefits—lowered stress levels, an increase in pleasure—than when they were massaged themselves. — Maggie Bullock, Vogue, 1 June 2021 So the mechanism that would propel them into the next episode was a little bit more dramatic, almost cataclysmic. — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 1 June 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dramatic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.