variants
or less commonly tragical
1
a
: regrettably serious or unpleasant : deplorable, lamentable
a tragic mistake
b
: marked by a sense of tragedy
2
: of, marked by, or expressive of tragedy
the tragic significance of the atomic bomb—
H. S. Truman
H. S. Truman3
a
: dealing with or treated in tragedy
the tragic hero
b
: appropriate to or typical of tragedy
Synonyms
Examples of tragic in a Sentence
Their deaths were tragic and untimely.
They both died in a tragic car accident.
Romeo and Juliet's tragic love affair.
We saw a tragic play about a man with AIDS.
the tragic characters of her novel
Recent Examples on the Web
This tragic incident has drawn attention to the broader issue of chronic pain, which affects millions of Americans and is often linked to significant mental and emotional distress.
—Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
Obituaries Toni Morrison dead at 88: ‘Beloved’ author captured tragic and joyful complexion of life and race
Aug. 6, 2019
As a winner of seven NAACP awards and countless more accolades for her achievements in poetry — Giovanni helped up-and-coming writers.
—Astrid Kayembe, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2024
According to a police report obtained by the outlet, the tragic incident occurred in February 1990 in the town of Umatilla, Fla., where Nesheiwat, now 48, lived with her family at the time.
—Escher Walcott, People.com, 9 Dec. 2024
Johnson and Parks recast him as a far more tragic figure.
—Calvin Tomkins, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tragic 
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Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
Obituaries Toni Morrison dead at 88: ‘Beloved’ author captured tragic and joyful complexion of life and race
Aug. 6, 2019
As a winner of seven NAACP awards and countless more accolades for her achievements in poetry — Giovanni helped up-and-coming writers.
—Astrid Kayembe, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2024
According to a police report obtained by the outlet, the tragic incident occurred in February 1990 in the town of Umatilla, Fla., where Nesheiwat, now 48, lived with her family at the time.
—Escher Walcott, People.com, 9 Dec. 2024
Johnson and Parks recast him as a far more tragic figure.
—Calvin Tomkins, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tragic
Dictionary Entries Near tragic
Cite this Entry
“Tragic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tragic. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tragic
adjective
trag·ic
ˈtraj-ik 
1
: of, marked by, or expressive of tragedy
2
: dealing with or appearing in tragedy
a tragic hero
3
: very unfortunate : deplorable
a tragic mistake
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