tragic

adjective

trag·​ic ˈtra-jik 

variants or less commonly tragical

ˈtra-ji-kəl 

1

a

: 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.

—Harry S. Truman

3

a

: dealing with or treated in tragedy

the tragic hero

b

: appropriate to or typical of tragedy

tragically

ˈtra-ji-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms of tragic

• unfortunate

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

The tragic shooting involved a Georgia family and took place at an apartment complex in Kissimmee on Sunday, July 12, Osceola County Sheriff Chris Blackmon said during a Monday news conference. — Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 16 July 2026

That tragic moment was sensationalized in the press and for years was among the first things mentioned when discussing her work and legacy. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 15 July 2026

After the Costa Concordia made headlines for the tragic crush, many people — including passengers — compared it to the 1912 Titanic crash. — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026

The Hollywood representation community has suffered a tragic loss. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 15 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin tragicus, from Greek tragikos, irregular from tragōidia tragedy

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing tragic

• tragic flaw

Rhymes for tragic

• magic
• pelagic

Kids Definition

tragic

adjective

trag·​ic ˈtraj-ik 

1

: of, marked by, or expressive of tragedy

2

: dealing with or appearing in tragedy

a tragic hero

3

: very unfortunate : deplorable

a tragic mistake

tragically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb