drastischen

Drastisch is a German adjective meaning severe, drastic, or radical. It describes actions, changes, conditions, or effects that are pronounced, abrupt, or far-reaching. As an adverb, it is used to modify verbs in the sense of “drastically” (drastisch verändern). The word is cognate with the English drastic and the French drastique, and shares a common Indo-European heritage that underpins related terms in several languages.

Usage and collocations: The term is common in journalism, politics, science, and everyday speech to emphasize degree. Typical phrases include drastische Maßnahmen (drastic measures), drastische Veränderungen (drastic changes), and drastische Unterschiede (drastic differences). In comparative form, one speaks of drastischer Fortschritt or, less commonly, am drastischsten, to denote the highest degree. The nuance can range from notable to alarming, depending on context.

Inflection and grammar: Like many German adjectives, drastisch takes different endings based on the article and case. Examples: nominative masculine singular with an indefinite article: ein drastischer Mann; nominative feminine singular: eine drastische Maßnahme; nominative neuter singular: ein drastisches Ergebnis; plural without article: drastische Maßnahmen; with definite article: die drastischen Maßnahmen; dative plural with definite article: den drastischen Maßnahmen. The comparative and superlative forms are drastischer and am drastischsten, respectively.

See also: Drastisch as an adjective and adverb, and related terms such as gravierend or extrem, which convey strong degrees of severity or intensity.