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

• theatric
• theatrical
• operatic

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 past five years have been among the most dramatic: SXSW closed down during the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic and did not reopen in person — on a much smaller scale — until 2022. —Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 23 July 2025

Whereas the kiss cam scandal offers a catchy story for leadership mishaps when work and family get tangled, most days, family seeps into leadership in less dramatic ways. —Lieke Ten Brummelhuis, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025

Rising to Meet Modern Demands Health and wellness tourism has seen a dramatic rise in popularity over the last several years, both internationally and domestically. —William Jones, Freep.com, 22 July 2025

The dramatic rise in anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal is closely tied to the early and excessive use of smartphones and social media. —Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 22 July 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