1
as in disasters
a sudden violent event that brings about great loss or destruction
the earthquake and the ensuing damage was the worst tragedy to ever befall the city
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in misfortunes
bad luck or an example of this
it's the tragedy of many great artists not to be recognized for their genius until after they're dead
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of tragedies
With projects bracing for termination, mission teams broken apart and safety protocols weakened, the guardrails that once kept NASA from repeating its worst tragedies are being stripped away in real time.
—
Josh Dinner, Space.com, 31 Oct. 2025
After a devastating series of tragedies gets her medical license revoked, Maggie is without purpose, but not without passion.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Each one of those tragedies could have been prevented.
—Roger Marshall, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Bryan discussed navigating grief and finding silver linings after the family tragedies on a CNN podcast.
—Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 29 Oct. 2025
The anti-American side focuses exclusively on the tragedies, usually makes slavery the chief argument for the prosecution, and dismisses the triumphs as hypocritical rhetoric.
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
After Nora and Agnes’ mother passes away, Gustav returns to Oslo (and the gorgeous family house that has played home to some of their biggest tragedies) and tries to reestablish himself in his family’s lives.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 28 Oct. 2025
In some ways, Doug’s death signaled two tragedies, as Sage’s grand romance also came to a climax and an end over the course of Gen V’s season two finale.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
Netflix and Chernin Entertainment have set the new drama series Kennedy, which will explore the triumphs and tragedies of the Kennedy family.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2025
Josh Dinner, Space.com, 31 Oct. 2025
After a devastating series of tragedies gets her medical license revoked, Maggie is without purpose, but not without passion.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Each one of those tragedies could have been prevented.
—Roger Marshall, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Bryan discussed navigating grief and finding silver linings after the family tragedies on a CNN podcast.
—Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 29 Oct. 2025
The anti-American side focuses exclusively on the tragedies, usually makes slavery the chief argument for the prosecution, and dismisses the triumphs as hypocritical rhetoric.
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
After Nora and Agnes’ mother passes away, Gustav returns to Oslo (and the gorgeous family house that has played home to some of their biggest tragedies) and tries to reestablish himself in his family’s lives.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 28 Oct. 2025
In some ways, Doug’s death signaled two tragedies, as Sage’s grand romance also came to a climax and an end over the course of Gen V’s season two finale.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
Netflix and Chernin Entertainment have set the new drama series Kennedy, which will explore the triumphs and tragedies of the Kennedy family.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tragedies
Noun
-
The findings offer a new perspective on one of history’s most famous military disasters.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Its experts worked hard to prepare for a variety of disasters, such as a freak weather event, a terrorist attack, or an airplane accidentally crashing into a reactor.—
Simon Shuster,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Mistakes, misfortunes, even tragedy, toxic secrets from the past—anything can happen, or may have happened.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Oct. 2025
-
According to local belief, sending a lantern upward helps cleanse a person’s spirit and eases their misfortunes, clearing the path for good luck in the coming year.—
Sarah Buder,
AFAR Media,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In the book, Malahy detailed the numerous catastrophes that surrounded the months spent filming the movie, a loose adaptation of Joseph Conrad's 1899 novella, Heart of Darkness, in the Philippines.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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For me, the experience is moving—like a glimmer of wild hope amid a conservation landscape dominated by the looming catastrophes to come of climate change.—
Eric J. Wallace,
Outside,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Whereas much of the original play unfolds as a steady stream of callers to the Tesmans’ estate, DaCosta cleverly restages these various interpersonal calamities against the backdrop of a lavish party.—
Abby Monteil,
Them.,
28 Oct. 2025
-
The piling on of hurdles, unforeseen challenges, and calamities is almost ridiculous.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
And a lot of the pseudepigrapha, like the fake gospels and fake apocalypses, fill in gaps in the record that can serve latter-day, post-biblical purposes.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
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The audience for 2025’s reel of zombie apocalypses lives in a world shaped, in part, by Americans’ refusal to accept an aging Joe Biden’s ineligibility for President.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
9 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tragedies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tragedies. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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