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
As in Samuel Beckett’s tragicomic theater and novels, Tarr’s movies, by turns funny and heartbreaking, dignify human struggle with a tenacity of vision and empathy.
—
John Penner, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
However, the real ineptitude occurs a little earlier when River interprets a fight that Gimball has with Jaffrey’s chief of staff, Tyson Bowman (Abraham Popoola), as a physical attack and inserts himself into the scene, setting off this tragicomic series of events.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2025
Byrne the actor turns out to be stretchable in the best sense; her performance is a marvel of tragicomic elasticity.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025
Wistful, naturalistic scenes spotted with tragicomic humor and surreal visuals depict the aftermath of Mike’s release, when he’s given a lifeline: a few free weeks in a hostel and a gig in a dingy hotel kitchen.
—Beatrice Loayza, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
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John Penner, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
However, the real ineptitude occurs a little earlier when River interprets a fight that Gimball has with Jaffrey’s chief of staff, Tyson Bowman (Abraham Popoola), as a physical attack and inserts himself into the scene, setting off this tragicomic series of events.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2025
Byrne the actor turns out to be stretchable in the best sense; her performance is a marvel of tragicomic elasticity.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025
Wistful, naturalistic scenes spotted with tragicomic humor and surreal visuals depict the aftermath of Mike’s release, when he’s given a lifeline: a few free weeks in a hostel and a gig in a dingy hotel kitchen.
—Beatrice Loayza, New York Times, 9 Oct. 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 13 Jan. 2026.
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