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 Tamas locates its tragedy not only in violence and displacement but also in the speed with which neighbors become enemies while those who engineer communal hatred remain insulated from the suffering that follows. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026 Care will be in shorter supply, travel distances will stretch farther, and high-risk situations will more likely result in tragedy. — Keith Humphreys, The Atlantic, 29 July 2026 But the filmmakers hoped to focus on the resilience and unsung work of the county employees — not just the tragedy. — Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026 The tragedy sparked a broader conversation online, with survivors of domestic abuse and supporters of Gilson pushing back at the misconceptions victims often face in unhealthy or dangerous relationships. — Rachel Hale, USA Today, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for tragedy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tragedy
  1. disaster
  2. misfortune
  3. catastrophe
  4. calamity
  5. apocalypse
Noun
  • Established by Congress in 1990, TPS gives temporary protection to people who don’t feel safe returning to countries plagued by disaster or armed conflict such as El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.
    — Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 30 July 2026
  • That was, frankly, ridiculous, and our coverage said as much, arguing that this deep dive into one of Hollywood’s most notorious genre disasters deserved a much wider release.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 30 July 2026
Definition of disaster
Noun
  • In this family, Shigejiro seemed to be cloaked in a waterproof tarpaulin that repelled the currents of misfortune.
    — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Or more specifically, had the misfortune of living in Patrick Mahomes’ AFC.
    — Darren Cooper, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of misfortune
Noun
  • The story follows exiled prince Rama (Ranbir Kapoor) and his consort Sita (Sai Pallavi) through exile into catastrophe, as Sita’s abduction at the hands of Ravana (Yash) sets in motion an epic war between righteousness and evil.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 July 2026
  • In fact, the war provided the exact lifeline that Putin needed to rescue him from economic catastrophe.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 30 July 2026
Definition of catastrophe
Noun
  • Yoon drew extensively on these themes in his earlier works—most recently in the novel Run Me to Earth and the Story Prize–winning collection The Hive and the Honey—and his oeuvre depicts war’s psychological and material calamities.
    — Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
  • But his avuncular encouragement of Tony in what could be absolute folly brings real heart to this section — until calamity intrudes.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 29 July 2026
Definition of calamity
Noun
  • While his beloved character didn’t outlive the zombie apocalypse, his romance with Pak bloomed.
    — Adrianne Reece, InStyle, 28 July 2026
  • The widow certainly has not had a lot to smile about in the zombie apocalypse, and definitely not to the man who brutally murdered her husband.
    — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 27 July 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 5 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tragedy

Nglish: Translation of tragedy for Spanish Speakers

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