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

Each loss is tragic, yet more died in the first 48 hours after D-Day than in a decade of occupation in Iraq. — Jeffrey A. Engel, Twin Cities, "Jeffrey Engel: The lesson of D-Day for Americans today," 6 June 2019 Gravenhorst performs in character as Eugene O’Neill examining how the tragic events of Nobel Prize-winning playwright’s life helped him transform American theater. — Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, "San Jose’s Japantown named one of the friendliest neighborhoods in the nation," 6 June 2019 Of course the children born on or near Sept. 11, 2001 don’t remember that fateful, tragic event when terrorists hijacked planes and crashed them into the Twin Towers in New York, part of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and a field in Pennsylvania. — Donna Vickroy, Daily Southtown, "As children born in the year of 9/11 come of age, their parents describe efforts to create a better world," 5 June 2019 In 2004, the hotel was the site of another tragic loss when Helmut Newton, the legendary fashion photographer, seemingly lost control of his car coming out of the Marmont garage and fatally crashed into a wall. — Leena Kim, Town & Country, "The Scandalous Secret History of the Chateau Marmont," 24 May 2019 Following the Christchurch Terror Attack, Meghan and Harry's visit is to pay tribute to the victims of the tragic incident. — Amy Mackelden, Harper's BAZAAR, "Meghan Markle & Prince Harry Make a Surprise Visit to New Zealand House in London," 19 Mar. 2019 Almost a year to the day after its tragic loss at sea, the Argentine Navy submarine ARA San Juan has been located. — Sean Gallagher, Ars Technica, "Doomed Argentine sub found a year after its disappearance," 19 Nov. 2018 As if learning about the generosity of spirit isn’t enough, Gia will discover how thoughtfulness impacts those affected by tragic loss. — Lynn Petrak, chicagotribune.com, "Petrak: La Grange third-grader's lemonade stand raises money for families of fallen police," 11 July 2018 Carrie Fisher’s tragic death in 2016 changed Disney’s plans for the conclusion of this trilogy in major ways. — John Gilpatrick, Popular Mechanics, "Everything We Know About the Future of Star Wars," 10 May 2019

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.