drastic
gb/dɹˈæstɪk/ us/dɹˈæstɪk/
B2
Engels
~ 9800
Betekenissen
0 betekenissen
adjective
B2
property
1
very severe or extreme
very strong or extreme, usually describing an action or change that is much more than normal
Gebruikspatroon:
drastic [change/measure/action/step]
Veelgemaakte fout:
Learners sometimes confuse "drastic" with "dramatic". "Drastic" means very strong or extreme, often as a response to a problem, while "dramatic" often means very noticeable or exciting in a visual or emotional way. Another common mistake is saying *"do drastic measures"* instead of the correct collocation "take drastic measures".
Synoniemen
extreme (Very close in meaning; slightly more common and general than "drastic".)
|
severe (Emphasizes harshness or seriousness; often used for problems, weather, or punishment as well as actions.)
|
radical (Suggests very big or complete change; less about harshness and more about going to the root of a problem.)
|
harsh (Focuses more on being cruel or unkind, especially with rules or punishment.)
Antoniemen
mild (Describes something gentle or not strong, the opposite of a drastic effect.)
|
moderate (Describes something not too strong or too weak, the opposite of drastic in intensity.)
|
slight (Emphasizes being very small in amount, contrasting with the large degree suggested by "drastic".)
Woordcombinaties
drastic measures
|drastic action
|drastic change
|drastic reduction
|take drastic steps
|a drastic cut
Thema's
daily life
|politics
|business
|core_vocabulary
Voorbeelden
- The company had to take drastic measures to avoid going bankrupt.
- After years of ignoring his health, the doctor recommended drastic changes to his lifestyle.
- The government introduced a drastic cut in public spending.
- They saw a drastic improvement in air quality after traffic was reduced.
- Moving to another country was a drastic step, but she felt she had no choice.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
- The teacher took drastic action to stop the bullying.
- We need a drastic change in our study habits.
- There was a drastic increase in prices last year.
- He went on a drastic diet and lost a lot of weight.
- They decided on a drastic plan to save money.
adjective
technical
C2
property
2
strongly acting medicine or treatment
describing a medicine that works very strongly and quickly on the body
Gebruikspatroon:
drastic [drug/remedy/treatment]
Veelgemaakte fout:
Learners may think this meaning is common in everyday speech, but it is now rare and mainly appears in older or technical medical texts. In modern everyday English, "drastic" almost always has the general sense of "very severe or extreme" rather than this specifically medical meaning.
Synoniemen
potent (A technical term for something very powerful in effect; slightly more neutral and common in medical writing.)
|
powerful (General word for strong effect; less specifically medical than "drastic" in this sense.)
Antoniemen
mild (Describes medicines with gentle or weak effects, the opposite of a drastic drug.)
|
gentle (Emphasizes not causing strong or sudden effects or discomfort.)
Woordcombinaties
drastic remedy
|drastic drug
|drastic treatment
|drastic purgative
Thema's
medicine
|science
|health
Voorbeelden
- In older medical texts, a strong laxative is sometimes described as a drastic purgative.
- Such a drastic remedy can cause serious side effects if not carefully controlled.
- The physician warned that only drastic treatment would clear the infection quickly.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
- This drug is too drastic for children.
- The doctor said this drastic medicine works very fast.
- A drastic remedy can sometimes be dangerous.
- They used a drastic treatment to clean his stomach.
Grammatica
Lemmavorm
drastic
IPA
GB/dɹˈæstɪk/
US/dɹˈæstɪk/
Lettergrepen en klemtoon
drastic (1 lettergreep)
Stress on 1st syllable (drastic)
Woordvormen
Adjective
- Base: drastic
Woordfamilie
Core family
drastically
adverb B2
Negative and opposite forms
moderate
adjective B1
Uitdrukkingen
drastic action
1/dɹˈæstɪk ˈækʃən/
fixed phrase
very strong act to change something
a very strong and extreme thing that someone does to change a situation
Voorbeelden
- The company decided that only drastic action could save the project.
- Residents are calling for drastic action to improve safety at the crossing.
- They threatened to take drastic action if their demands were ignored.
drastic change
1/dɹˈæstɪk t͡ʃˈeɪnd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
very big or extreme change
a very big and extreme change, often happening quickly or all at once
Voorbeelden
- There has been a drastic change in the company culture.
- She made a drastic change in her career and became a nurse.
- The climate is undergoing drastic changes due to global warming.
drastic measures
1/dɹˈæstɪk mˈɛʒɚz/
fixed phrase
very strong actions to solve a problem
very strong and extreme actions that people take to deal with a serious problem or situation
Voorbeelden
- The city is considering drastic measures to reduce air pollution.
- The school took drastic measures after several serious fights.
- Drastic measures will be needed if sales keep falling.
drastic reduction
1/dɹˈæstɪk ɹɪdˈʌkʃən/
fixed phrase
very large and sudden decrease
a very big and often sudden drop in the amount, size, or level of something
Voorbeelden
- The new policy led to a drastic reduction in plastic waste.
- We saw a drastic reduction in costs after moving online.
- There has been a drastic reduction in the number of visitors this year.
drastic step
1/dɹˈæstɪk stˈɛp/
fixed phrase
a single very strong action
one very strong and extreme action that someone decides to take in a situation
Voorbeelden
- Quitting his job was a drastic step, but he felt it was necessary.
- Closing the branch is a drastic step to cut expenses.
- They took the drastic step of moving their children to another school.
drastic steps
1/dɹˈæstɪk stˈɛps/
fixed phrase
several very strong actions
several very strong and extreme actions that people decide to take in a situation
Voorbeelden
- The team took drastic steps to improve security.
- Drastic steps are needed to protect the local wildlife.
- They are prepared to take drastic steps if negotiations fail.
take drastic measures
1/tˈeɪk dɹˈæstɪk mˈɛʒɚz/
fixed phrase
to do very strong things to solve a problem
to do very strong and extreme actions in order to deal with a serious problem
Voorbeelden
- We had to take drastic measures to cut costs.
- The government took drastic measures to control the spread of the virus.
- If the noise continues, the neighbors say they will take drastic measures.