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
Nellie Andreeva… offers an outstanding vocal and dramatic performance …—Alison Norton
Alison Norton2
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
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
Jessica FoxI 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
Roseanne Chaeyoung Park3
of an opera singer
: having a powerful voice and a declamatory style compare lyric
Synonyms of dramatic
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
This inquiry into police corruption stems from a dramatic news conference last year by a provincial police officer, who accused Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and senior police officers of having links with organized crime.
—Arkansas Online, 26 Mar. 2026
While a portion of rallygoers voiced support for dramatic intervention against Cuba's leadership, others said their focus remains on peaceful, lasting reform.
—Abby Dodge, CBS News, 25 Mar. 2026
This was a dramatic turn after Starmer had sought a reputation as something of a Trump-whisperer — even if that went down badly with many Britons at home, failing to win discernible gains over the Ukraine war and Trump’s hostile pursuit of Greenland.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026
The dramatic construction, however, is solid enough to withstand some of the overly broad strokes of the staging.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dramatic
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Arkansas Online, 26 Mar. 2026
While a portion of rallygoers voiced support for dramatic intervention against Cuba's leadership, others said their focus remains on peaceful, lasting reform.
—Abby Dodge, CBS News, 25 Mar. 2026
This was a dramatic turn after Starmer had sought a reputation as something of a Trump-whisperer — even if that went down badly with many Britons at home, failing to win discernible gains over the Ukraine war and Trump’s hostile pursuit of Greenland.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026
The dramatic construction, however, is solid enough to withstand some of the overly broad strokes of the staging.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dramatic
Cite this Entry
“Dramatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dramatic. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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