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

The actress — who stars in the new drama film Rosemead as an ailing woman who goes to drastic lengths to protect her troubled teenage son — welcomed Rockwell via a surrogate in August 2015. —Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 7 Dec. 2025

Unfortunately, these drastic changes around the conference also had drastic ramifications on the three-day early national signing day period for high school recruits, which began on Wednesday. —Reice Shipley, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025

The diagnosis came after months of online commenters pointing out drastic changes in her face. —Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 4 Dec. 2025

Leo is known to read his speeches word-for-word, a drastic departure from Francis’ habit of going off script. —Alexander Smith, NBC news, 3 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