traumatic
adjective
trau·mat·ic
trə-ˈma-tik 
trȯ-,
trau̇-
1
: psychologically or emotionally stressful in a way that can lead to serious mental and emotional problems
The report … revealed that the onset of bulimic behavior tends to be associated with voluntary dieting and with traumatic events such as the loss of a loved one.—
Ralph Heussner
Ralph HeussnerHe's been open and frank about his traumatic childhood scarred by violence and domestic abuse.—Stephen Milton
Stephen Milton
broadly
: causing distress or anxiety
The traumatic experience of the Wall Street crash and the long depression of the 1930s has gradually faded from memory … —Jack Revell
Jack Revell The arrival of mass tourism in a previously unspoilt area … was certainly traumatic. —Graham Robb
Graham Robb 2
medical
: relating to, being, or caused by a sudden, severe, often life-threatening injury to the body
… the lone medical centers in the Triad to treat victims of traumatic injuries such as life-threatening car wrecks or shootings.—Pat Kimbrough
Pat KimbroughThree years ago, she was in a traumatic car crash that shattered her pelvis, and caused numerous other injuries.—Brad Gillman
Brad GillmanThere have been reports of shrapnel causing a traumatic fistula between the right coronary artery and the right atrium.—Matthias Eikermann et al.
Matthias Eikermann et al.
also
: involving or causing tissue damage or physical stress
The artery-dilating procedure, which uses a balloon or other device guided to the restricted artery by a cardiac catheter, is less invasive and traumatic than coronary artery bypass surgery. —Andrew Skolnick
Andrew Skolnick Open-heart surgery has become all but routine in recent years, although still physically traumatic. —Ralph T. King, Jr.
see also chronic traumatic encephalopathy, post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury
Ralph T. King, Jr. Examples of traumatic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Now, a dozen days later, with the traumatic memories still haunting them all, staff, residents and family members are faced with the question of what to do next.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 19 Jan. 2025
There is no way, no way that that would have caused that traumatic of an injury.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 18 Jan. 2025
Yet the decision to flee from a traumatic event in which another human being has lost their life is likely rooted more in psychology than a driver’s penchant to kill.
—Ryan Lillis, Sacramento Bee, 17 Jan. 2025
As the ash settles in the coming weeks, bad actors will make their way to scorched neighborhoods, offering deals that may sound like a godsend during a traumatic time.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for traumatic 
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.
Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 19 Jan. 2025
There is no way, no way that that would have caused that traumatic of an injury.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 18 Jan. 2025
Yet the decision to flee from a traumatic event in which another human being has lost their life is likely rooted more in psychology than a driver’s penchant to kill.
—Ryan Lillis, Sacramento Bee, 17 Jan. 2025
As the ash settles in the coming weeks, bad actors will make their way to scorched neighborhoods, offering deals that may sound like a godsend during a traumatic time.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for traumatic
Dictionary Entries Near traumatic
Cite this Entry
“Traumatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/traumatic. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
traumatic
adjective
trau·mat·ic
trə-ˈmat-ik, trȯ-, trau̇-
: of, relating to, resulting from, or causing a trauma
cases of traumatic rupture—The Journal of the American Medical Association
The Journal of the American Medical Associationa traumatic experience
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share