drastic
Americanadjective
-
extremely severe or extensive.
a drastic tax-reduction measure.
-
(of medicines) acting with force or violence.
a drastic laxative.
adjective
Other Word Forms
- drastically adverb
Etymology
Origin of drastic
First recorded in 1685–95; from Greek drastikós “active,” equivalent to drast(ós) (verbal adjective of drân “to do”) + -ikos adjective suffix ( -ic )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But I don’t know, it’s probably not unlike the drastic change that another kid at 18 would have going to college,” Rodrigo said in December 2021.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026
The squeeze on supply has pushed oil and natural gas prices higher, with drastic knock-on effects for supply chains in multiple industries.
From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026
Some analysts remain skeptical that Meta and YouTube would make drastic changes to their products because they’ve weathered crises before.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026
That’s a drastic change from Feb. 27, the day before the war began, when the market had been pricing in a more-than 80% probability of at least two cuts.
From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026
Sweeping and drastic remedies could cut out anything—and life with the cut Ideal advice, which nobody was built to follow, was no advice at all.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
