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.—
Harry S. Truman
Harry 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
In 1999, 81 years after the tragic sinking, the crew members of the Tampa were posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
His breakdown moment with Lane’s Willy, whose explosive temper is finally subdued by his son’s desperate need to be seen, draws out all the tragic heartbreak of a classic that has been liberated from the customary domestic trappings only to be made more intimate.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
In the months leading up to her tragic death, Nancy, who was married to Eleanor’s long-time crush Robert (Joel Kinnaman), had been having an affair with Mary’s husband, Howard (Corey Stoll), an underemployed academic.
—Max Gao, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
Following the tragic incident, an investigation was launched by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tragic
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Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
His breakdown moment with Lane’s Willy, whose explosive temper is finally subdued by his son’s desperate need to be seen, draws out all the tragic heartbreak of a classic that has been liberated from the customary domestic trappings only to be made more intimate.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
In the months leading up to her tragic death, Nancy, who was married to Eleanor’s long-time crush Robert (Joel Kinnaman), had been having an affair with Mary’s husband, Howard (Corey Stoll), an underemployed academic.
—Max Gao, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
Following the tragic incident, an investigation was launched by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tragic
Cite this Entry
“Tragic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tragic. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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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