1
as in disaster
a sudden violent event that brings about great loss or destruction
the earthquake and the ensuing damage was the worst tragedy to ever befall the city
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in misfortune
bad luck or an example of this
it's the tragedy of many great artists not to be recognized for their genius until after they're dead
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Recent Examples of tragedy
Later that month, he was struck with tragedy when a car crash in Nigeria led to the deaths of his close friends, personal trainer Latif Ayodele, and strength coach Sina Ghami.
—
Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 16 June 2026
In the show’s later episodes, as Stacy begins the process of moving on from the tragedy, the score grows in presence, becoming much a much larger part of the show’s tapestry.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 16 June 2026
Stories of triumph and tragedy alike deserve to be told out loud at parks.
—Deena Zaru, ABC News, 16 June 2026
The tragedy has focused attention on the iconic B-52, a long-haul heavy bomber that can reach subsonic speeds at altitudes up to 50,000 feet.
—Stephen J. Beard, USA Today, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tragedy
Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 16 June 2026
In the show’s later episodes, as Stacy begins the process of moving on from the tragedy, the score grows in presence, becoming much a much larger part of the show’s tapestry.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 16 June 2026
Stories of triumph and tragedy alike deserve to be told out loud at parks.
—Deena Zaru, ABC News, 16 June 2026
The tragedy has focused attention on the iconic B-52, a long-haul heavy bomber that can reach subsonic speeds at altitudes up to 50,000 feet.
—Stephen J. Beard, USA Today, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tragedy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tragedy
Noun
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Aemond is a murderer, Aegon is a rapist; if either of them ends up on the Iron Throne for good, that would be a disaster.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
19 June 2026
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On the dusty backroads of Radiator Springs, where Lightning McQueen and his pals live, a shower of meteors threatened to bring destruction upon the quarter-size cars in a scene that disaster movie king Roland Emmerich would endorse.—
Sandra Gonzalez,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
Noun
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Repairing Furniture There are few misfortunes greater than scratching a new piece of dark wood furniture.—
Joey Skladany,
Southern Living,
17 June 2026
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The Italian’s misfortune opened the door for teammate Russell to snatch P2 while Lando Norris in the McLaren took home third place, forming the first all-British podium since 1968.—
Yara Elshebiny,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Noun
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Horrible things happen all the time, crises and catastrophes that defy language and imagination.—
Karen Valby,
Vanity Fair,
16 June 2026
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But if your concerned friend starts worrying about AI data centers literally causing a worldwide water catastrophe, the actual numbers involved should hopefully put those worries to rest.—
Kyle Orland,
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
Noun
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The calamity is the deadliest crash involving a B-52 bomber since 1982.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
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In early times, most humans barely paid attention to weather calamities because the region was so sparsely populated.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2026
Noun
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Could a jobs apocalypse be coming?—
Kamal Ahmed,
Fortune,
15 June 2026
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First contact set on a future Earth trying to recover from a climate apocalypse.—
Brianne Kane,
Scientific American,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tragedy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tragedy. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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