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

Scott is tremendous and tragic in the film, maybe more so in its moments of dark humor than in its final beats of near operatic sadness. — Joe Reid, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026

Patrick himself admitted to struggling with intense suicidal ideation after the tragic incident. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026

The novel is narrated by the five female members of the Price family of Bethlehem, Georgia, who collectively tell the tragic story of Western intervention in Congo. — Casey Cep, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026

The story of what happened in Lexington this summer is particularly tragic because so many had worked so long and so carefully to make a difference. — Jenisha Watts, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2026