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

From stories of survival and life-changing decisions to heartbreak and hope, here are some of the best tragic tales brought to the big screen. — Lea Tran, TheWeek, 8 July 2026

Some of these shows lean sweeping and tragic, others quietly romantic or filled with supper-club nostalgia. — Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 8 July 2026

The actor shared the tragic news of his father’s death on Live With Kelly and Mark in April. — Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 6 July 2026

Scott McCord, who plays the tragic Victor, says his wife and her friends are deeply invested in theories about the show’s plot. — Josh Wigler, HollywoodReporter, 6 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