drastic
Sudden and extreme, with a very big effect.
drastic in a sentence
- Cutting off all his hair was a drastic change, and even his mum walked straight past him.
- Moving the whole zoo to higher ground before the flood was drastic, but it kept the animals safe.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to drastic?
- Amild
- Bextreme
- Cslight
- Dgentle
Show the answer
B: extreme. The other three mean the opposite of drastic.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to drastic?
- Amild
- Bextreme
- Csudden
- Dsevere
Show the answer
A: mild. The other three mean nearly the same as drastic.
Words that mean something similar
extreme, severe, sudden
Words that mean the opposite
mild, gentle, slight
More words about time & change
- durable: Strong enough to last a long time without breaking.
- ebb: To slowly get weaker or drain away, like the tide going out.
- elapse: To go by or pass, used when talking about time.
- endure: To put up with something difficult for a long time.
- ensue: To happen straight after something else, often because of it.
- evolve: To change and develop slowly over time.
- fatal: Causing death, or leading to complete failure.
- fleeting: Lasting only a very short time.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test