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

—H. 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

• deplorable
• distressful
• distressing
• grievous
• heartbreaking
• heartrending
• lamentable
• regrettable
• unfortunate
• unlucky
• woeful

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

There's a tragic kind of symmetry in the way Carmen Berzatto, a guy who grew up in household devoid of nurturing, later devotes his life to caring for strangers. —EW.com, 26 June 2025

The tragic consequences ultimately haunted Einstein for the rest of his life. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 25 June 2025

This tragic event raises urgent questions: What caused such extreme weather? —Bethany Wales, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2025

While Walls’s tragic death occured during the midwestern city’s Black Yacht Weekend, her specific vessel or location was not a part of official events. —Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 24 June 2025

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