drastic

adjective

dras·​tic ˈdra-stik 

1

: acting rapidly or violently

a drastic purgative

2

: extreme in effect or action : severe

drastic measures

made drastic changes

Examples of drastic in a Sentence

The situation calls for drastic measures.

Maybe we should try something less drastic first.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Trump administration has also framed the gutting of VOA as part of the drastic effort to cut down the federal budget being led by Elon Musk. —Patrick Reevell, ABC News, 18 Mar. 2025

The Trump administration provided a detailed accounting of the number of probationary employees, generally considered those who were in their jobs for less than one year, who were targeted in the president's drastic plans to scale back the federal workforce in court filings Monday. —Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2025

Trump sat down for a one-on-one interview to discuss his first two months back in the White House, during which his drastic uptick in border security was one of several topics addressed. —Asher Notheis, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 16 Mar. 2025

The House Freedom Caucus—a group of about 30 Republican members of Congress regarded as the party's most conservative faction—released its own budget resolution back in February which featured drastic spending cuts, higher border security funding and a marked increase in the debt ceiling. —Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin drāsticus, borrowed from Greek drāstikós "active, energetic, (of medication) acting rapidly," from drāst-, stem of drā́stēs "doer, performer" (from drā-, variant stem of dráō, drân "to do, perform" + -tēs, agentive suffix, with analogical -s-) + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at drama

First Known Use

circa 1691, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for drastic

• clastic
• mastic
• plastic
• spastic
• aeroelastic
• ecclesiastic
• elastoplastic
• enthusiastic
• iconoclastic
• interscholastic
• megaloblastic
• osteoblastic

Kids Definition

drastic

adjective

dras·​tic ˈdras-tik 

1

: acting rapidly or violently

2

: severe in effect : harsh

had to take drastic measures

drastically

-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

drastic

1 of 2 adjective

dras·​tic ˈdras-tik 

: acting rapidly or violently

—used chiefly of purgatives

drastically

-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

drastic

2 of 2 noun

: a powerful medicinal agent

especially : a strong purgative