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.—
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman3
a
: dealing with or treated in tragedy
the tragic hero
b
: appropriate to or typical of tragedy
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
The impact of Diogo Jota’s death This may appear at the end of our assessment of Liverpool’s issues, but in truth any appraisal of the club’s season should be seen through the prism of Diogo Jota’s tragic death in the summer.
—The Athletic's Liverpool Staff, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
In addition, the male protagonist, Alan Bernstein, has to deal with the tragic death of his wife also a result from the conditions brought on by COVID-19.
—Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2025
Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones spoke on the death of defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland for the first time on Tuesday, as his team continues to grieve the tragic passing of one of its own.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Nov. 2025
The tragic irony about the last nine months of war is that while international discussion has been dominated by the prospects for negotiations and cease-fires, Russia has ramped up the intensity of fighting.
—Jack Watling, Foreign Affairs, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tragic
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The Athletic's Liverpool Staff, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
In addition, the male protagonist, Alan Bernstein, has to deal with the tragic death of his wife also a result from the conditions brought on by COVID-19.
—Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2025
Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones spoke on the death of defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland for the first time on Tuesday, as his team continues to grieve the tragic passing of one of its own.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Nov. 2025
The tragic irony about the last nine months of war is that while international discussion has been dominated by the prospects for negotiations and cease-fires, Russia has ramped up the intensity of fighting.
—Jack Watling, Foreign Affairs, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tragic
Cite this Entry
“Tragic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tragic. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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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