Dramatically — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /drə-ˈma-tik/ dra·mat·ic

Meaning & Definition of Dramatically

Dramatically (adjective)

  1. of or relating to drama
  2. suitable to or characteristic of drama (as in being very exciting or moving)
  3. sudden and extreme

Dramatically (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having the general quality or effect of a stage performance

    "the basketball player's dramatic announcement of his sudden retirement held everybody spellbound"

    similar: histrionic, melodramatic, operatic, stagy, theatrical
    related: affected, emotional, emotionalistic, sensational, actorish, actorly, actressy, dramaturgic, ham, hammy, amazing, astonishing, astounding, awesome, exciting, eye-opening, fabulous, marvelous, spectacular, surprising, wonderful, wondrous, overdramatic
    opposite: undramatic
    near: matter-of-fact, monotonous, uneventful, unexciting, uninspiring, unnewsworthy, unrewarding, unsensational, unspectacular, common, commonplace, ordinary, stale, unexceptional

  2. given to or marked by attention-getting behavior suggestive of stage acting

    "oh, don't be so dramatic, and just tell us, without the pregnant pauses, what happened"

    similar: hammy, histrionic, melodramatic, stagy, theatrical
    related: actorish, actorly, actressy, overacted, overdone, sensational, staged, conspicuous, elaborate, flamboyant, grandiose, ostentatious, showy, affected, artificial, exaggerated, mannered, pretentious, self-conscious, studied, unnatural
    opposite: undramatic
    near: nondramatic, nontheatrical, unaffected, underplayed, unpretentious, muted, restrained, subdued, toned (down), conservative, discreet, inconspicuous, modest, plain, quiet, simple

  3. likely to attract attention

    "a dramatic drop in the temperature overnight"

    similar: arresting, bodacious, bold, brilliant, catchy, commanding, conspicuous, emphatic, eye-catching, flamboyant, grabby, kenspeckle (chiefly Scottish), marked, noisy, noticeable, prominent, pronounced, remarkable, showy, splashy, striking
    related: detectable, discernible, observable, perceptible, recognizable, visible, outstanding, salient, distinguished, eminent, impressive, notable, noteworthy, highlighted, spotlighted, flagrant, glaring, howling, screaming, flashy, garish, gaudy, glitzy, jazzy, loud, meretricious, swank, tawdry, highfalutin, ostentatious, pretentious, extravagant, fancy, florid, glittery, spectacular, opulent, ornate, overdone, overwrought, absorbing, engrossing, enthralling, fascinating, interesting, riveting
    opposite: inconspicuous, unemphatic, unflamboyant, unnoticeable, unobtrusive, unremarkable, unshowy
    near: subtle, concealed, hidden, shrouded, dim, faint, obscure, insignificant, undistinguished, unimportant, modest, unaffected, unassuming, unpretentious, conservative, plain, quiet, simple, understated, muted, restrained, subdued, toned-down, unflashy

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Dramatically

The most common words with a similar meaning to Dramatically:

Chiefly Scottish: kenspeckle
histrionic, melodramatic, operatic, stagy, theatrical, hammy, arresting, bodacious, bold, brilliant, catchy, commanding, conspicuous, emphatic, eye-catching, flamboyant, grabby, marked, noisy, noticeable, prominent, pronounced, remarkable, showy, splashy, striking

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Dramatically

Words with the opposite meaning of Dramatically:

undramatic, inconspicuous, unemphatic, unflamboyant, unnoticeable, unobtrusive, unremarkable, unshowy

Related Words for Dramatically

affected, emotional, emotionalistic, sensational, actorish, actorly, actressy, dramaturgic, ham, amazing, astonishing, astounding, awesome, exciting, eye-opening, fabulous, marvelous, spectacular, surprising, wonderful, wondrous, overdramatic, overacted, overdone, staged, elaborate, grandiose, ostentatious, artificial, exaggerated

Near Antonyms of Dramatically

matter-of-fact, monotonous, uneventful, unexciting, uninspiring, unnewsworthy, unrewarding, unsensational, unspectacular, common, commonplace, ordinary, stale, unexceptional, nondramatic, nontheatrical, unaffected, underplayed, unpretentious, muted, restrained, subdued, toned (down), conservative, discreet, modest, plain, quiet, simple, subtle

Word Forms of Dramatically

Derived words: dramatically (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Dramatically

borrowed from Late Latin drāmaticus, borrowed from Greek drāmatikós, from drāmat-, drâma "deed, action, drama" + -ikos -ic:1

First known use: 1589

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Dramatically

Frequently Asked Questions about Dramatically

What does "Dramatically" mean?

"Dramatically" means of or relating to drama. As an adjective, it is defined as: of or relating to drama. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Dramatically"?

Other words for "Dramatically" include histrionic, melodramatic, operatic, stagy, theatrical, hammy, arresting and bodacious. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Dramatically" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Dramatically"?

There are 104 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Dramatically". Common alternatives include histrionic, melodramatic, operatic, stagy, theatrical, hammy, arresting, bodacious, bold and brilliant.

What is the opposite of "Dramatically"?

Antonyms of "Dramatically" include undramatic, inconspicuous, unemphatic, unflamboyant, unnoticeable, unobtrusive, unremarkable and unshowy. Near antonyms include matter-of-fact, monotonous, uneventful and unexciting.

How do you use "Dramatically" in a sentence?

Examples of "Dramatically" in a sentence: "the basketball player's dramatic announcement of his sudden retirement held everybody spellbound"; "oh, don't be so dramatic, and just tell us, without the pregnant pauses, what happened"; "a dramatic drop in the temperature overnight".

Is "Dramatically" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Dramatically" is an adjective.

Is "Dramatically" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Dramatically" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Dramatically"?

"Dramatically" is pronounced /drə-ˈma-tik/ and divided into syllables as dra·mat·ic.