tragic

adjective

trag·​ic ˈtra-jik How to pronounce tragic (audio)
variants or less commonly tragical
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 bombH. S. Truman
3
a
: dealing with or treated in tragedy
the tragic hero
b
: appropriate to or typical of tragedy
tragically adverb

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
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.
Matthew Gaudreau's widow Madeline paid tribute to her late husband and brother-in-law on the first Thanksgiving since their tragic deaths. Natasha Dye, People.com, 28 Nov. 2024 The rivalry resumed last year after UVA cancelled its final two games of the 2022 season due to the tragic death of three players. Tom Layberger, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024 But the boys who turn their attention to the duo meet a tragic demise. Michael Saponara, Billboard, 27 Nov. 2024 Wendy Williams’ tragic battle with dementia is playing out in a new court dispute between her legal guardian Sabrina Morrissey and A&E Networks. Vivian Kwarm, New York Daily News, 27 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tragic 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of tragic was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near tragic

Cite this Entry

“Tragic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tragic. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

tragic

adjective
trag·​ic ˈtraj-ik How to pronounce tragic (audio)
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 adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on tragic

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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