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 bomb—
H. S. Truman
H. S. Truman3
a
: dealing with or treated in tragedy
the tragic hero
b
: appropriate to or typical of tragedy
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
This merciful act of sportsmanship came a month before Stewart’s tragic death on a chartered jet.
—Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
September 19 marked one month since the tragic death of Ernesto Barajas, the leader of the regional Mexican group Enigma Norteño, who was killed outside Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
—Tere Aguilera, Billboard, 23 Sep. 2025
Continue reading … WORDS, NOT WEAPONS – Liberal commentator reveals Charlie Kirk's final message to him before tragic murder.
—FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2025
Though performances are not presented in their entirety, this approach offers Western audiences a fuller understanding of the often tragic nature of these tales of unrequited love and death, plus a deeper appreciation of kabuki’s legacy.
—Ryan Swen, Variety, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tragic
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Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
September 19 marked one month since the tragic death of Ernesto Barajas, the leader of the regional Mexican group Enigma Norteño, who was killed outside Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
—Tere Aguilera, Billboard, 23 Sep. 2025
Continue reading … WORDS, NOT WEAPONS – Liberal commentator reveals Charlie Kirk's final message to him before tragic murder.
—FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2025
Though performances are not presented in their entirety, this approach offers Western audiences a fuller understanding of the often tragic nature of these tales of unrequited love and death, plus a deeper appreciation of kabuki’s legacy.
—Ryan Swen, Variety, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tragic
Cite this Entry
“Tragic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tragic. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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