tragic

adjective

trag·​ic ˈtra-jik 

variants or less commonly tragical

ˈtra-ji-kəl 

1

a

: regrettably serious or unpleasant : deplorable, lamentable

a tragic mistake

b

: marked by a sense of tragedy

2

: of, marked by, or expressive of tragedy

… the tragic significance of the atomic bomb.

—Harry S. Truman

3

a

: dealing with or treated in tragedy

the tragic hero

b

: appropriate to or typical of tragedy

tragically

ˈtra-ji-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms of tragic

• unfortunate

Examples of tragic in a Sentence

Their deaths were tragic and untimely.

They both died in a tragic car accident.

Romeo and Juliet's tragic love affair.

We saw a tragic play about a man with AIDS.

the tragic characters of her novel

Recent Examples on the Web

His steady hand has been shaken by the tragic death of his firstborn daughter. — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2026

Jesse Eisenberg regaled a room of journalists with brilliant — but slightly tragic — tidbits from his childhood and career while discussing his latest feature, The Debut. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026

Dolly Parton’s tragic passing has ignited a serious war between her family and estate. — Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 23 Sep. 2026

Her tragic fate has inspired other former child stars to speak out about the pressure and struggles that often accompany fame at an early age. — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin tragicus, from Greek tragikos, irregular from tragōidia tragedy

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing tragic

• tragic flaw

Rhymes for tragic

• magic
• pelagic

Kids Definition

tragic

adjective

trag·​ic ˈtraj-ik 

1

: of, marked by, or expressive of tragedy

2

: dealing with or appearing in tragedy

a tragic hero

3

: very unfortunate : deplorable

a tragic mistake

tragically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb