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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of tragedy
The consequences of this reckless driving behavior came into sharp focus in 2018, when tragedy struck in Rochester, IN.
—
Buspatrol - A Mission-Driven Organization, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
And yet, as this and so many other shootings have demonstrated, none of this matters to individuals who are using the tragedy to get attention for themselves online.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
Melissa's 5-year-old son Michael was at the scene and witnessed the tragedy, according to a GoFundMe set up for the Domingos and the child's welfare.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025
Using archival footage as well as CGI reenactments, the crew explores the scientific and physical forces that led to tragedy.
—PC Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tragedy
Buspatrol - A Mission-Driven Organization, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
And yet, as this and so many other shootings have demonstrated, none of this matters to individuals who are using the tragedy to get attention for themselves online.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
Melissa's 5-year-old son Michael was at the scene and witnessed the tragedy, according to a GoFundMe set up for the Domingos and the child's welfare.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025
Using archival footage as well as CGI reenactments, the crew explores the scientific and physical forces that led to tragedy.
—PC Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tragedy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tragedy
Noun
-
Bureau staff were told the group itself, already gutted as part of mass layoffs at the State Department in July, would refocus on migration diplomacy and disaster response rather than its traditional refugee focus.—
Ted Hesson,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
-
That question frames an episode that opens not with battle, but with the kind of stillness that comes before disaster.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
What horrible family misfortune has Ingelsby cooked up this time?—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
8 Sep. 2025
-
And yet the Dolphins have found a way to remain masters of mediocrity, prolonging the NFL’s longest playoff win drought with a combination of misfortune and missteps.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Does this make Musk’s dreams of human transformation and societal apocalypse more likely to become reality?—
Sonja Fritzsche,
The Conversation,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The Dead Don't Die In Jim Jarmusch's absurdist apocalypse comedy, flesh-craving zombies raid the once-tranquil town of Centerville, picking off its residents one by one.—
James Mercadante,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Going to the theatre in that period was hardly an entertainment for the fainthearted, and calamity was not confined to the stage.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Levine Cava bristled, saying the only money left to fund the choppers would be the county’s emergency fund — dollars reserved for hurricanes or other calamities.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tragedy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tragedy. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share