drastic

adjective

dras·​tic ˈdra-stik 

1

: acting rapidly or violently

a drastic purgative

2

: extreme in effect or action : severe

drastic measures

made drastic changes

Examples of drastic in a Sentence

The situation calls for drastic measures.

Maybe we should try something less drastic first.

Recent Examples on the Web

That equates to a drastic increase in gold's price for 2025 alone, with the precious metal's price upticks largely attributed to safe-haven and central bank demand. —Tim Maxwell, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025

Trump has a long track record of inflammatory remarks, but his comments in a social media post were a drastic departure from the role presidents typically play in offering a message of consolation or tribute after the death of a public figure. —Michelle L. Price, Fortune, 15 Dec. 2025

Coffee farms passed down through multiple generations could see an end to a legacy, and the effects could be drastic in parts of the global south where coffee cultivation is an economic pillar. —Connor Giffin, Louisville Courier Journal, 15 Dec. 2025

Limit any drastic pruning to early spring, just before new growth emerges. —Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin drāsticus, borrowed from Greek drāstikós "active, energetic, (of medication) acting rapidly," from drāst-, stem of drā́stēs "doer, performer" (from drā-, variant stem of dráō, drân "to do, perform" + -tēs, agentive suffix, with analogical -s-) + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at drama

First Known Use

circa 1691, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for drastic

• clastic
• mastic
• plastic
• spastic
• aeroelastic
• ecclesiastic
• elastoplastic
• enthusiastic
• iconoclastic
• interscholastic
• megaloblastic
• osteoblastic

Kids Definition

drastic

adjective

dras·​tic ˈdras-tik 

1

: acting rapidly or violently

2

: severe in effect : harsh

had to take drastic measures

drastically

-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

drastic

1 of 2 adjective

dras·​tic ˈdras-tik 

: acting rapidly or violently

—used chiefly of purgatives

drastically

-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

drastic

2 of 2 noun

: a powerful medicinal agent

especially : a strong purgative