tragic

adjective

trag·ic | \ ˈtra-jik

variants: or less commonly tragical \ ˈtra-ji-kəl

Definition of tragic

1a : 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— H. S. Truman

3a : dealing with or treated in tragedy the tragic hero

b : appropriate to or typical of tragedy

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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

According to Nicholl, Will threw himself into his studies as a means of distraction after his mother's tragic death. — Kayleigh Roberts, Marie Claire, "Prince William Threw Himself Into School as a Distraction When Princess Diana Died," 2 Mar. 2019 Directed by Cooper himself and nominated for eight Oscars this year, the newest A Star Is Born both borrows a bit from each of its predecessors and puts its own spin on the tragic love story. — Heather Finn, Good Housekeeping, "What Is 'A Star Is Born' Really About? Here's a Look at All 4 Versions of the Movie," 24 Feb. 2019 An absolutely tragic story for the Okobi family, and all of us. — Casey Newton, The Verge, "How Mark Zuckerberg became a wartime CEO," 20 Nov. 2018 Based on the 1877 classic of the same name, Anna Karenina tells the tragic story of a married Russian aristocrat and her love affair with the affluent Count Vronsky. — Tamara Fuentes, Seventeen, "15 Sad Movies to Watch on Netflix for When You Need a Good Cry," 28 Aug. 2018 We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of our dear colleague and friend Andrey Privin. — Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE.com, "Illinois Man, 24, Dies from Fall at Grand Canyon Just Days Before Starting Career as a Nurse," 10 July 2018 Then there is a tragic love story between Soviet trains - told by a renowned Georgian puppet theatre! — Lawrence Elizabeth Knox, Houston Chronicle, "A ‘Cosmic Evening’ with tomorrow’s stars at Texas Music Festival," 6 June 2018 Love and Death in the Sunshine State explores the tragic story of Sabine Musil-Buehler, a woman who was murdered on Florida’s Anna Maria Island in 2008. — Joe Fassler, The Atlantic, "What Richard Pryor’s Stand-Up Can Teach Writers," 31 May 2018 Expanding on her 2009 animated short Chrigi, Kofmel relates the tragic true story of her older cousin Christian Wurtenberg, a war reporter with a reckless thirst for adventure. — Stephen Dalton, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Chris the Swiss': Film Review | Cannes 2018," 22 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tragic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.