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

Minor differences in temperature won't have a drastic effect on the results of your interior painting project, but significantly high or low temperatures can impact the quality of the finish or may even prevent the paint from curing correctly. —Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 6 Jan. 2026

Plus, going from the Yankees to the Mets isn’t exactly a drastic change for the families. —Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 2 Jan. 2026

Camellias grown in containers are the most vulnerable to drastic drops in temperature. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026

Stefanie Maio, a volunteer and outings leader for the Sierra Club San Diego Chapter, doesn’t see the fee increases on campsites as too drastic. —Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 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