tragicomedy

noun

tragi·​com·​e·​dy ˌtra-ji-ˈkä-mə-dē 

: a drama or a situation blending tragic and comic elements

Examples of tragicomedy in a Sentence

The play is a tragicomedy about a man's search for love.

Recent Examples on the Web

As previously reported by Variety, the film is an episodic dark tragicomedy about five individuals grappling with rejection and the desire for revenge. —Marta Balaga, Variety, 2 Aug. 2024

The simple life turns out to be anything but simple in this brilliantly observed tragicomedy, as the consequences of Strings’ success and mind-bending effects of his fame prove all but impossible to outrun. —Greg Evans, Deadline, 1 Aug. 2024

The dark tragicomedy stars Maria Bakalova, who appeared opposite Sacha Baron Cohen in Amazon’s Borat Subsequent Moviefilm and returns to her Bulgarian film roots. —Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 July 2024

Her most recent screen role was an episode of Showtime’s Emmy-winning family tragicomedy Shameless (2021). —EW.com, 18 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle French tragicomedie, from Old Italian tragicomedia, from Old Spanish, from Latin tragicomoedia, from tragicus + comoedia comedy

First Known Use

circa 1580, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

tragicomedy

noun

tragi·​com·​edy

ˌtraj-i-ˈkäm-əd-ē

: a play or situation which blends tragic and comic elements

tragicomic

-ˈkäm-ik

adjective

also tragicomical

-i-kəl