traumatic

adjective

Definition of traumaticnext
as in horrible
causing great and lasting pain or distress The family struggled to cope with the traumatic experience of losing their home.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of traumatic But her traumatic health scare really impacted her last season. — Max Gao, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026 Locally, child therapists and clinicians have advice on how to talk with kids about traumatic events. — John Lauritsen, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 Southern Nazarene confirmed to Star-Telegram media partner WFAA that Ulrich, 21, suffered a traumatic injury and was in critical condition following the incident. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Oct. 2026 Flashing back to that traumatic experience, Rainbeau goes through every single thing Rosa needs to do before clocking off. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for traumatic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for traumatic
  1. horrible
  2. painful
  3. terrible
  4. overwhelming
  5. unsettling
  6. awful
  7. unbearable
  8. disturbing
Adjective
  • In most versions of the Greek mythology, Medusa is a beautiful woman that was cursed by the goddess Athena with a head of snakes instead of hair and the horrible ability to turn people to stone with just one look.
    — Lynsey Eidell, Glamour, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The battle is between that horrible atmosphere and some of the horrific candidates that have been nominated by the Democratic Party.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • Some things are too painful for words, and Crystal knows that sense cannot be made from senselessness.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Once people expect benefits, cutting them off is politically painful.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of painful
Adjective
  • His teams are terrible just before halftime, having been outscored 107-6 in the coach's 24 games.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • If the purpose of buying a suit were merely obtaining clothing, three fittings would be terrible service.
    — Anna van Praagh, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of terrible
Adjective
  • To date, eight bills to recognize the tribe have passed both the State Assembly and Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support, only to be vetoed by Democratic Govs.
    — Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2026
  • If the process becomes overwhelming, a reputable data removal service can help with the ongoing work.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of overwhelming
Adjective
  • There’s something so unsettling about a game show where the contestants’ well-being is not considered, and The Tonight Show leaned into that uncanniness to great effect.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The series explores the unsettling collision of ancient witchcraft beliefs and modern digital dating culture.
    — Samantha Bergeson, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of unsettling
Adjective
  • Mahomes scrambled to his left and threw an awful interception in the opening half.
    — Sam McDowell October 25, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Their wins this year have been against a Patriots team that looked awful in Week 1 – with Drew Lock coming in for Darnold early in the game.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of awful
Adjective
  • There’s the wait that will put an end to unbearable solitude, or perhaps the fear of a new presence arriving to disrupt everything.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Faced with that unbearable truth, Evelyn and Caleb decide to take matters into their own hands.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of unbearable
Adjective
  • For Daughtry, who was dispatched to work the crash by his editor that day, the assignment was one of the most disturbing of his career.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
  • This disturbing contradiction suggests that different physical laws apply to the observer and the observed.
    — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturbing

Browse Nearby Words

trashy
traumatic
traumatically
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Traumatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/traumatic. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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