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

… 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

drə-ˈma-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• histrionic
• melodramatic
• operatic
• stagy
• stagey
• theatrical
• theatric

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

After all, these playoffs have been remarkably exciting to watch, full of upsets and dramatic finishes. —Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 11 May 2025

Then things took a dramatic turn Ivanka Trump was on a date night out in Miami Beach. —Elainie Barraza, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 May 2025

This change in ownership allowed industry to license these technologies from the universities and to commercialize the research, creating dramatic improvements in all areas of the American society and an economic bonanza for the U.S. economy. —Barbara Bry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 May 2025

But six months later, the Glazers had strengthened their grip and those working to stop them believed only a dramatic intervention would succeed. —Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 11 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin drāmaticus, borrowed from Greek drāmatikós, from drāmat-, drâma "deed, action, drama" + -ikos -ic entry 1

Note: Compare Middle French dragmatique, dramatique "(of a literary genre) addressing the reader by means of characters rather than through an authorial voice."

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing dramatic

• amateur dramatic
• dramatic irony
• dramatic monologue
• dramatic unities

Rhymes for dramatic

• asthmatic
• chromatic
• climatic
• dogmatic
• ecstatic
• emphatic
• erratic
• eustatic
• fanatic
• hepatic
• lymphatic
• magmatic

Kids 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

dramatically

-ˈmat-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb