tragedy

noun

ˈtra-jə-dē How to pronounce tragedy (audio)
Definition of tragedynext
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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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 For a dose of good old Greek tragedy (or comedy, for that matter), the National Theater of Greece in Athens offers four stages to see everything from classical works to experimental theater. — Jennifer Tzeses, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026 The Times asked five of the on-air personalities who are still working today to look back on the day they were called to cover the tragedy and its lasting impact. — Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026 Between that and the tragedy of Mary Cosby’s late son, there’s much to unpack. — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026 The tragedy marked the rare occasion of workplace safety making it into the national news. — Matt Helmer, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tragedy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tragedy
  1. disaster
  2. misfortune
  3. catastrophe
  4. calamity
  5. apocalypse
Noun
  • In moments, the towers’ dazzling height had transformed from the proud punctuation of this country’s signature skyline into a disaster-movie nightmare.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The Bills finished the Toronto series with a 1-5 record, and the experiment was viewed as a disaster.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of disaster
Noun
  • Republicans also have the misfortune of scheduling the convention for the first two dates of the NFL regular season, which always draws massive ratings and for the first time begins on a Wednesday night, followed by a game on Thursday night.
    — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026
  • After the misfortune of Rodon’s injury, the manager conceded better luck would be needed across the rest of the group.
    — Beren Cross, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of misfortune
Noun
  • More than 1,000 people have been confirmed dead and thousands remain missing after the catastrophe, according to authorities in both countries.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026
  • As the story moves breathlessly through the neighborhood’s streets and interiors, Kodeih, who also edited the feature, and cinematographer Tony Kopec zero in on a jumpy, kinetic tension between looming catastrophe and potential triumph.
    — Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of catastrophe
Noun
  • Fearful of another 9/11-style calamity, the Bush team exaggerated the threat posed by Hussein, triggering what would become an eight-year military quagmire.
    — Michael E. Neagle, Hartford Courant, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Budget Director Ray Baker said Miami-Dade should have about $500 million in its rainy-day fund, but the county has less than $90 million available to tap after a calamity like a hurricane.
    — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of calamity
Noun
  • Those forecasts add hope for office workers after top AI leaders previously signaled a jobs apocalypse was imminent.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Why private credit may avoid a ‘crisis-apocalypse’ Blackstone’s scale attracts outsized scrutiny, and investors’ attempts to pull money from its private credit funds earlier this year made headline news.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of apocalypse

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tragedies
tragedy
tragic
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Cite this Entry

“Tragedy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tragedy. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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