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dramatic

[druh-mat-ik]

adjective

of or pertaining to the drama.

employing the form or manner of the drama.

characteristic of or appropriate to the drama, especially in involving conflict or contrast; vivid; moving: dramatic colors; a dramatic speech.

highly effective; striking: The silence following his impassioned speech was dramatic.

Origin:
1580–90; < Late Latin drāmaticus < Greek drāmatikós, equivalent to drāmat- (stem of drâma) drama + -ikos -ic

Related forms

dra·mat·i·cal·ly, adverb

non·dra·mat·ic, adjective

non·dra·mat·i·cal·ly, adverb

o·ver·dra·mat·ic, adjective

o·ver·dra·mat·i·cal·ly, adverb

EXPAND

pre·dra·mat·ic, adjective

pseu·do·dra·mat·ic, adjective

pseu·do·dra·mat·i·cal·ly, adverb

qua·si-dra·mat·ic, adjective

qua·si-dra·mat·i·cal·ly, adverb

sem·i·dra·mat·ic, adjective

sem·i·dra·mat·i·cal·ly, adverb

un·dra·mat·ic, adjective

COLLAPSE

Synonyms
1. theatrical. 4. startling, sensational.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source

Link To dramatic

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Dramatic is always a great word to know.

So is slumgullion. Does it mean:

a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.

a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.

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Example Sentences

The dramatic story of what happened to him has received wide play.

Across the world, higher education has experienced dramatic changes in recent years.

In few places does the social fallout from recession look so dramatic.

EXPAND

The dramatic story of what happened to him has received wide play.

Across the world, higher education has experienced dramatic changes in recent years.

In few places does the social fallout from recession look so dramatic.

They have large brown eyes outlined with dramatic white feathers.

The recent uptick in the area's temblors has been dramatic.

It is much more dramatic a reason and it enhances their prestige.

Bright colors and dramatic forms make dahlias an exciting addition to the summer border.

When you think of sports, you think of the games on the field, the dramatic moments that rivet us.

As long as there are real enemies in the world, there will be useful dramatic versions of them in our heads.

November's dramatic government intervention may have quelled fears that the bank would go under.

In some areas, red earth produces dramatic scarlet-hued tornadoes.

The population drop is even more dramatic when you look at a broader time period.

The wildlife photographs that make us ooh and aah usually depict dramatic action.

Crooked branches and dark, red-tinged bark make dramatic picture against winter sky.

Dramatic explosions from the surface of the sun can link up across hundreds of thousands of miles.

To hear them tell it, business schools across the country are engaged in a dramatic transformation.

The differential in wage growth has been more dramatic still.

Fluctuations in the weather, the scientists write, can have a dramatic impact on these agricultural societies.

Modern agricultural technology has been the key to these dramatic gains.

Plan to get to your destinations in time to enjoy the dramatic light of morning or late afternoon.

In recent years, however, the design of high-end casinos has undergone a dramatic shift.

Such dramatic episodes are familiar enough at the highest levels of politics.

He is also convinced that there will be dramatic changes in the realm of personal technology.

Shellfish are a far less dramatic prey but still an important part of the leopard seal's diet.

Only time will tell how dramatic the results of these changes will be.

In the decade that followed, the lab mouse had a sudden and dramatic resurgence that continues today.

And largely because of that, it is targeted for dramatic cutbacks.

For countries with particularly low fertility rates, the decline is dramatic.

Late sun backlights mountains and fog in this dramatic scene.

Saturday's attempt was scrubbed by dramatic lightning storms at the launch site the day before.

Navarro is known around the world for his dramatic and spectacular fireworks displays.

Candidates should have a primary specialization in the areas of theatre history and dramatic literature.

And something dramatic has been happening to the numbers recently.

Similarly dramatic declines in barn owl populations have been reported in many countries.

Due to such dramatic effects of small mutations, it was believed at the time that each gene codes for a particular trait.

If colors appear washed out, increasing the contrast can make the imagery more dramatic.

Those stages of the admission process are compelling, even dramatic.

The remaining lake water is also heating up at dramatic rates.

Also the difference between take off weight and landing weight should be dramatic.

The difference this made in this research education session was dramatic.

Natural populations don't tend to demonstrate the dramatic ups and downs of exponential population growth.

These conferences, back to back on opposite coasts, were dramatic contrasts in outlook.

The high points where land and sea meet provide dramatic vistas of craggy shorelines and pounding oceans.

So be ready for anything and prepare yourself for dramatic change.

Sudden and dramatic drops in barometric pressure are what produce the extremely high winds in tornadoes and hurricanes.

What makes this shot work is the dramatic burst of blue spurting into the crowd.

And walking trails, which offer dramatic views from atop the cliffs, have been relocated farther from the crumbling edges.

Most singers rely on their dramatic and vocal skills to convey the essence of a particular song.

Dramatic rejuvenation of prematurely aged mice hints at potential therapy.

There was a little snow on the ground which added a dramatic appearance.

For him an opera's setting was not merely background but the defining element of its musical and dramatic nature.

What it fails to capture is the dramatic decrease in actual state dollars for higher education.

For those species that had the highest dependence on forest-floor plants, the numbers were dramatic.

From beautiful nature scenes with live trout, to a dramatic three-story working mill, to.

Among dramatic sopranos that may well come with the.

Vietnam's higher education system has undergone dramatic change during the past decade.

Officials crow at each new speed milestone and each dramatic reduction in intercity-travel times.

It s obvious that much more research needs to be done before any such dramatic conclusions can be drawn.

The results are dramatic and realistic and are sure to drive your geeklings wild.

Dramatic change, in my experience, can also trigger pockets of old grief that are still hanging around.

Norway has used threats of quotas to dramatic effect.

Changes to nuclear structure can affect cellular function in dramatic ways.

Some types of chameleons showed dramatic color differences, others less.

But simple solutions are readily available that can have dramatic outcomes.

The explanation for the steady rise of silver this time round is less dramatic.

The dramatic hair loss is caused by mange, a disease.

Eventually their parents would notice a dramatic difference between them at daycare and at home.

Whether it's a dramatic museum heist or opportunistic house-burglary, all of them fuel a lucrative black market.

If you want to read a little less dramatic version of the research, try here.

Listing could have a dramatic effect on law firms' behaviour.

Dramatic visuals and absorbing narratives in biographies of influential figures.

The study found dramatic improvements in the efficacy of treatment but declining access to treatment.

Extreme heat, dramatic daily temperature swings, and violent storms are the norm in this inhospitable place.

The art is beautiful and dramatic and the story is clear and understandable.

What no one foresaw is that down the road it would also lead to a dramatic increase in the demand for child and slave labor.

In both cases the dramatic steps were taken in the face of political failures to get to the heart of the problems at hand.

What got me interested was that this part of her life is such a dramatic story.

Portman brings substantial dramatic chops to the comic book adaptation.

It's interesting to see what tolerant and kind men they grew up to be, under their divalike dramatic exteriors.

But the dramatic silhouettes, part ocean liner, part funfair.

High-profile cultural center for local and international dance, music, and dramatic performances.

The urge to slip in embellishments or heighten a dramatic arc through exaggeration can.

The more dramatic improvement in my hair was achieved with henna.

One consequence has been a dramatic rise in the popularity of brain-training games.

Once fully implemented can have a dramatic effect on infections, resistance and prevention of disease.

If not, ask how an employee whose job has been changed in a dramatic way would go about having the position reviewed.

China's economy has experienced a dramatic recovery over the past six months.

Dramatic growth of population and agricultural output.

Under a low dose this may well be the case, under higher dosages the effect is far more dramatic.

The lifting of the curtain is a dramatic moment in the ceremony, even for couples who have met before.

Teach people to believe that they will be much better off but let there be no dramatic improvement.

Within a year his dramatic manipulations of perspective.

China, where he found it perfectly suited to shoot dramatic landscapes in often misty lighting conditions.

Creating the essence of such a moment through a dramatic device has its place.

We also know that improving quality and safety have a dramatic impact on reducing costs.

Private equity has enjoyed dramatic growth in recent years.

She fed me, gave me a place to sleep, and led me along in the dramatic religious procession that night.

Some parasites cause even more dramatic anatomical changes in their victims.

The junk-bond market's subsequent rebound has been nearly as dramatic.

European butterflies could face dramatic extinctions should global temperatures continue to rise, a new study says.

There are no current plans to alter the list in any dramatic way.

Universities have seen a dramatic increase in applications to forensic science programs.

Spain's decade-long surge of immigrants has already come to a dramatic halt.

Here a natural window gives dramatic framing to a photo.

They want to rev everything up into a big dramatic stressful thing.

To me that was a dramatic illustration of the importance of role models.

One flares its wings and arches its back in a dramatic threat display to relieve the tension of crowding.

The impact of this photograph comes from the dramatic lines and colors and the intimacy of the woman's gaze.

COLLAPSE

Collins

World English Dictionary

dramatic (drəˈmætɪk)

—*adj*
1.	of or relating to drama
2.	like a drama in suddenness, emotional impact, etc
3.	striking; effective
4.	acting or performed in a flamboyant way
5.	music (of a voice) powerful and marked by histrionic quality

dra'matically

—*adv*

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source

Etymonline

Word Origin & History

dramatic

1580s, from L.L. dramaticus, from Gk. dramatikos, from drama (see drama). Meaning "full of action and striking display, fit for a drama" is from 1725. Dramatic irony is recorded from 1907. Related: Dramatically.

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"The dramatic art would appear to be rather a feminine art; it contains in itself all the artifices which belong to the province of woman: the desire to please, facility to express emotions and hide defects, and the faculty of assimilation which is the real essence of woman."

-Sarah Bernhardt

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