Synonyms of tragic

tragic

adjective

ˈtra-jik 

variants also tragical

as in unfortunate

of a kind to cause great distress

in a tragic turn of events the area's sole remaining steel mill suddenly closed

Synonyms & Similar Words

• unfortunate
• terrible
• horrible
• regrettable
• lamentable
• shocking
• disturbing
• sad
• deplorable
• painful
• distressing
• grievous
• heartbreaking
• unlucky
• woeful
• unsettling
• disastrous
• dire
• sickening
• distressful
• awful
• dreadful
• pitiful
• heartrending
• miserable
• fearful
• severe
• poignant
• traumatic
• unbearable
• troublesome
• horrifying
• alarming
• wretched
• piteous
• doleful
• overwhelming
• crushing
• vexatious
• harrowing
• touching
• moving
• intolerable
• affecting
• excruciating
• calamitous
• perturbing
• ruthful
• sharp
• raging

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rewarding
• satisfying
• gratifying
• pleasing
• encouraging
• comforting
• heartening
• inspiring
• happy
• fortunate
• lucky
• heartwarming
• cheering

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of tragic

Pittsburgh Penguins player Andrei Kuzmenko returned to the team on Friday after taking some time in the wake of his father's tragic death in a bear attack last month in Siberia. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026

The mood that hangs over Tip Toe is two parts anxious dread to one part disbelief that things could really get quite so bad — as represented, with tragic irony, by Leo. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026

Urker’s sister, Autumn, recently broke her silence on his tragic death. — Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 2 Oct. 2026

Linton’s defense team argued that prosecutors were trying to put her in prison for a tragic accident. — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026