tragicomic
adjective
tragi·com·ic
ˌtra-ji-ˈkä-mik 
variants
or less commonly tragicomical
1
: of, relating to, or resembling tragicomedy
2
: manifesting both tragic and comic aspects
Examples of tragicomic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
His performance here most recalls his tragicomic portrayal of John Brown, the heroic but unhinged abolitionist whose quixotic raid on Harpers Ferry helped catalyze the Civil War, in Showtime’s 2020 adaptation of James McBride’s The Good Lord Bird.
—
Judy Berman, Time, 23 Sep. 2025
Raja the Gullible is another tragicomic triumph.
—Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
His straight red card for a studs-up tackle on Kenny Tete to kneecap 58 encouragingly bright minutes on his Chelsea debut instantly became a defining tragicomic image of the worst season of the club’s modern history.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2025
So don't expect premeditated murder, exactly – but there may well be some dialogue sharp enough to draw blood in this tragicomic debut novel.
—Colin Dwyer, NPR, 1 Apr. 2025
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Judy Berman, Time, 23 Sep. 2025
Raja the Gullible is another tragicomic triumph.
—Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
His straight red card for a studs-up tackle on Kenny Tete to kneecap 58 encouragingly bright minutes on his Chelsea debut instantly became a defining tragicomic image of the worst season of the club’s modern history.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2025
So don't expect premeditated murder, exactly – but there may well be some dialogue sharp enough to draw blood in this tragicomic debut novel.
—Colin Dwyer, NPR, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tragicomic
Cite this Entry
“Tragicomic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tragicomic. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.
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