tragedy

noun

trag·​e·​dy ˈtra-jə-dē 

plural tragedies

1

a

: a disastrous event : calamity

b

: misfortune

2

a

: a serious drama typically describing a conflict between the protagonist and a superior force (such as destiny) and having a sorrowful or disastrous conclusion that elicits pity or terror

b

: the literary genre of tragic dramas

c

: a medieval narrative poem or tale typically describing the downfall of a great man

3

: tragic quality or element

Synonyms of tragedy

• disaster
• catastrophe
• calamity
• apocalypse

Examples of tragedy in a Sentence

Her son's death was a terrible tragedy.

The situation ended in tragedy when the gunman shot and killed two students.

The biggest tragedy here is that the accident could have easily been prevented.

“Hamlet” is one of Shakespeare's best-known tragedies.

The students are studying Greek tragedy.

an actor who is drawn to tragedy

Recent Examples on the Web

In a statement, the family's attorney said that the lawsuit seeks justice for Jeffers while advocating for stronger security measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future. —Frederick Sutton Sinclair, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026

This is Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy, a gripping portrait of a young prince caught between action and inaction, grief and rage, truth and deception. —Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Mar. 2026

Michael Hoffman’s slight, charming adaptation isn’t well-remembered — probably because the Bard’s work was getting the big-screen treatment a lot back then and, also, the tragedies tend to be more dynamic. —Tim Grierson, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2026

During her first court appearance on Friday in Cleveland Municipal Court, she was not asked about the tragedy that has landed her in handcuffs, shocked her hometown and drawn national attention. —Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English tragedie, from Middle French, from Latin tragoedia, from Greek tragōidia, from tragos goat (akin to Greek trōgein to gnaw) + aeidein to sing — more at troglodyte, ode

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2c

Kids Definition

tragedy

noun

trag·​e·​dy ˈtraj-əd-ē 

plural tragedies

1

: a serious drama with a sorrowful or disastrous conclusion

2

: a disastrous event

Etymology

Middle English tragedie "tragedy as a drama," from early French tragedie (same meaning), from Latin tragoedia (same meaning), from Greek tragōidia "a drama about the misfortunes of heroes," literally "goat song," from tragos "goat" and aeidein "to sing"

Word Origin

Tragedy as a form of drama began in ancient Greece. It developed from the public performances of songs and dances at religious festivals. These festivals were held in honor of Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility. The Greeks called these performances tragōidia, which meant literally "goat song." The word came from tragos, meaning "goat" and aeidein, meaning "to sing." These performances were at first given by a chorus. Later, however, it became popular to have one member of the chorus stand apart from the others and give a spoken introduction to or interpretation of the story. This speaker soon took over a larger and larger role in the performances. In time, this person was joined by more speakers until the dramas came to be like our modern plays with many parts acted out. It is not certain why these performances were named with a word for "goat." One explanation is that a goat was given as a prize to the person presenting the best drama. Another is that the goat was sacred to the god Dionysus and was sacrificed to him at these festivals. The early tragedies were stories of the misfortunes of heroes of legend or history, and that idea of misfortune carries on today in the common meaning of our word tragedy.