Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Of or relating to drama or the theater.
  • adjective Characterized by or expressive of the action or emotion associated with drama or the theater.
  • adjective Arresting or forceful in appearance or effect.
  • adjective Music Having a powerful, expressive singing voice.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Of or pertaining to the drama; represented by action; appropriate to or in the form of a written or acted drama: as, dramatic action; a dramatic poem.
  • Employing the form or manner of the drama; writing or acting dramatically or theatrically: as, a dramatic poet; a dramatic speaker.
  • Characterized by the force and animation in action or expression appropriate to the drama; expressed with action, or with the effect of action: as, a dramatic description; a dramatic appeal.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Of or pertaining to the drama.
  • adjective suitable to or characteristic of or having the qualities of, a drama; theatrical. Opposite of undramatic.
  • adjective striking in appearance or effect; vivid; having a thrilling effect.
  • adjective (Music) marked by power and expressiveness and a histrionic or theatrical style; -- of a singer or singing voice. Contrasted to lyric.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Of or relating to the drama.
  • adjective Striking in appearance or effect.
  • adjective Having a powerful, expressive singing voice.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective suitable to or characteristic of drama
  • adjective used of a singer or singing voice that is marked by power and expressiveness and a histrionic or theatrical style
  • adjective sensational in appearance or thrilling in effect
  • adjective pertaining to or characteristic of drama

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Late Latin drāmaticus, from Greek drāmatikos, from drāma, drāmat-, drama; see drama.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Ancient Greek δραματικός (dramatikos), from δρᾶμα (drama, "drama, play"), from δράω (draō, "I do, accomplish").

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Examples

  • The _dramatic monologue_ is a poem in which a dramatic situation is presented, or perhaps a story is told, by one speaker.

    Lady of the Lake Walter Scott 1801

  • Mr. Holder said the crackdown—a combination of arrests and stricter restrictions on how pain medication is dispersed—is already having an effect, creating what he called a dramatic decline in oxycodone prescriptions and sales.

    Latest Florida 'Pill Mill' Crackdown Leads to 22 Arrests Devlin Barrett 2011

  • In discussing what he called "dramatic" steps already taken by the United States and international community, including sanctions against Libya, Carney said there is no timetable for further decisions.

    US Stresses Next Steps on Libya Must be Coordinated 2011

  • In discussing what he called "dramatic" steps already taken by the United States and international community, including sanctions against Libya, Carney said there is no timetable for further decisions.

    US Stresses Next Steps on Libya Must be Coordinated 2011

  • In an interview with The Wall Street Journal on Sunday, Jawad Fairooz, a senior lawmaker with Al Wefaq, stressed that despite what he called a "dramatic" crackdown by government forces against peaceful protesters, negotiations could begin as soon as foreign troops left Bahrain and the country's own military was pulled from the streets.

    Violent Putdowns Intensify Dilemma in Region Margaret Coker 2011

  • In discussing what he called "dramatic" steps already taken by the United States and international community, including sanctions against Libya, Carney said there is no timetable for further decisions.

    US Stresses Next Steps on Libya Must be Coordinated 2011

  • That's what we call dramatic irony, that the leader of the resistance relies on enemy tech to live.

    Terminator: First Draft yuki_onna 2009

  • Senator McCain says he's more optimistic than ever that the surge policy sending those 30,000 additional combat troops here into Iraq is working and is providing what he calls dramatic security gains across Iraq.

    CNN Transcript Mar 17, 2008 2008

  • President Bush accusing Russia of what he called a dramatic and brutal escalation of its invasion of Georgia.

    CNN Transcript Aug 11, 2008 2008

  • JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now, breaking news: President Bush condemns what he calls a dramatic and brutal escalation of force by Russia.

    CNN Transcript Aug 11, 2008 2008

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