as in horrible
causing great and lasting pain or distress
The family struggled to cope with the traumatic experience of losing their home.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of traumatic
Shots - Health News In post-Roe Texas, 2 mothers with traumatic pregnancies walk very different paths
Kash says this new law doesn't take into account threats to a mother's mental health — such as carrying a baby to term that won't survive.
—
Katia Riddle, NPR, 15 May 2025
The event led the air traffic controllers to take leave under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act, which covers federal employees who are physically injured or experience traumatic events on the job, according to NATCA, a union that represents around 20,000 aviation professionals.
—Mirna Alsharif, NBC news, 11 May 2025
Some of these experiences may indeed be traumatic, but not every distressing experience can be counted as such.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
Underneath any comedy is a traumatic story as well.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for traumatic
Katia Riddle, NPR, 15 May 2025
The event led the air traffic controllers to take leave under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act, which covers federal employees who are physically injured or experience traumatic events on the job, according to NATCA, a union that represents around 20,000 aviation professionals.
—Mirna Alsharif, NBC news, 11 May 2025
Some of these experiences may indeed be traumatic, but not every distressing experience can be counted as such.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
Underneath any comedy is a traumatic story as well.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for traumatic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for traumatic
Adjective
-
However, her tragic demise spooks and haunts Jen, since her death is incredibly horrible and sad, rocking the whole Capesode community.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
14 May 2025
-
Jurors viewed for a fifth time in two days the video footage of the horrible beating that followed.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2025
Adjective
-
The alternative — a world in which the United States and China no longer engage in trade — could be economically painful and destabilizing.—
Alan Rappeport,
New York Times,
10 May 2025
-
Appearance: The condition starts as small, extremely painful blisters on your shins (and sometimes your arms).—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
9 May 2025
Adjective
-
Transgender kids, especially under the current president, are facing terrible rights losses and bigotry.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 May 2025
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Such legislation is meant to destabilize Pakistan’s internal politics, which is in no one’s interests, except those who promoted such a terrible idea in the first place.—
Christopher Shays,
New York Daily News,
10 May 2025
Adjective
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Starting from zero can be overwhelming, but many of today’s top digital brands began with no funding, no audience and no fancy tools.—
Tony Pec,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
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Keeping the flow of her releases steady, but not overwhelming, has been instrumental in allowing Latto to maintain this sense of confidence and control.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
16 May 2025
Adjective
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One of the most unsettling moments at UFC 315 occurred when Bruno Silva left the Octagon after suffering a knockout loss to Marc-Andre Barriault on the early prelims of the fight card.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
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His Emilio is the protagonist and, although all the characters are given a shot at Death, Jacobs as Emilio is the most unsettling.—
Michelle F. Solomon,
Miami Herald,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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The downsides are that DEET smells awful, is oily, and can damage anything with plastic in it, like synthetic clothing and camping gear.—
Kristin Canning,
Wired News,
21 May 2025
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The name itself isn’t awful, but actions have consequences.—
James Mirtle,
New York Times,
20 May 2025
Adjective
-
After three seasons of sometimes unbearable intensity, The Bear may be looking to pump the brakes a little in its fourth installment — or at least, the characters are trying to.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
20 May 2025
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The fear of failure creeps in, the weight of expectations becomes unbearable and the workload that once felt manageable now seems impossible to do.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
Adjective
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Proponents have long invoked civil rights language to promote vouchers, a disturbing rhetorical choice given vouchers originated as a tool for southern white parents to avoid the Supreme Court's desegregation order in Brown v. Board of Education.—
Kevin Sabet,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 May 2025
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Actress Isabella Rossellini reflects on the film’s disturbing material and autobiographical elements while resisting reductive interpretations.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Traumatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/traumatic. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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