variants
or less commonly tragical
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
H. S. Truman3
a
: dealing with or treated in tragedy
the tragic hero
b
: appropriate to or typical of tragedy
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
The story has crushingly tragic elements and contemplates the big mysteries of life and death through a spiritual lens.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025
Throwing the whole weight of government and community toward violence reduction is Chicago’s best bet in efforts to reduce the frequency and tragic costs of gun violence.
—David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2025
Based on real events during the Second World War, Dong Ji Island follows the tragic tale of a Japanese warship secretly transporting British prisoners of war and mistakenly attacked near the easternmost waters of China.
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 9 May 2025
What initially feels like a freak accident — and which, in turn, freaks out everyone in the family, Max most obviously — is soon revealed to be the start of a tragic pattern.
—Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tragic
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Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025
Throwing the whole weight of government and community toward violence reduction is Chicago’s best bet in efforts to reduce the frequency and tragic costs of gun violence.
—David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2025
Based on real events during the Second World War, Dong Ji Island follows the tragic tale of a Japanese warship secretly transporting British prisoners of war and mistakenly attacked near the easternmost waters of China.
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 9 May 2025
What initially feels like a freak accident — and which, in turn, freaks out everyone in the family, Max most obviously — is soon revealed to be the start of a tragic pattern.
—Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tragic
Cite this Entry
“Tragic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tragic. Accessed 16 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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