tragic

adjective

trag·​ic ˈtra-jik How to pronounce tragic (audio)
variants or less commonly tragical
ˈtra-ji-kəl How to pronounce tragic (audio)
Synonyms of tragic
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.—Harry S. Truman
3
a
: dealing with or treated in tragedy
the tragic hero
b
: appropriate to or typical of tragedy
tragically
ˈtra-ji-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce tragic (audio)
adverb

Synonyms of tragic

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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
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.
Robert’s backstory — his life in Chicago, his mother’s tragic accidental death, his dad wanting to send him to military school, his aunt in Century City offering to take him in — sounds overly rehearsed. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2026 Following Blacio’s tragic death, his sister, Andrea, paid tribute to the late teen on GoFundMe, while raising funds for his medical and funeral expenses. — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026 But there are dangers when framing aid in dying in relation to a single life story, particularly when that story’s main character is an attractive and articulate newlywed who suffered a tragic illness. — Vanessa Rampton, STAT, 5 Aug. 2026 But neither the feisty spirit of Olive Penderghast nor the tragic legacy of Hester Prynne can be found anywhere near Gluck’s baffling interpretation of Braun’s once-promising tale. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tragic

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin tragicus, from Greek tragikos, irregular from tragōidia tragedy

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of tragic was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing tragic

Rhymes for tragic

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Browse Nearby Words

Tragelaphus
tragic
tragically
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Cite this Entry

“Tragic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tragic. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tragic

adjective
trag·​ic ˈtraj-ik How to pronounce tragic (audio)
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
tragically
-i-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce tragic (audio)
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on tragic

Nglish: Translation of tragic for Spanish Speakers

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