tragic

Sometimes trag·i·cal

[traj-ik]

adjective

1. characteristic or suggestive of tragedy.

   tragic solemnity.

   Antonyms: comic

2. extremely mournful, melancholy, or pathetic.

   a tragic plight.

   Synonyms: pitiful
   Antonyms: comic

3. dreadful, calamitous, disastrous, or fatal.

   a tragic event.

   Antonyms: comic

4. of, pertaining to, characterized by, or of the nature of tragedy.

   the tragic drama.

5. acting in or writing tragedy.

   a tragic actor; a tragic poet.

noun

1. the tragic, the element or quality of tragedy in literature, art, drama, etc..

   lives that had never known anything but the tragic.

tragic

/ ˈtrædʒɪk, ˈtrædʒɪkəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of tragedy

2. mournful or pitiable

   a tragic face

Other Word Forms

• tragically adverb
• tragicalness noun
• hypertragic adjective
• hypertragical adjective
• hypertragically adverb
• nontragic adjective
• nontragical adjective
• nontragically adverb
• nontragicalness noun
• quasi-tragic adjective
• quasi-tragically adverb
• supertragic adjective
• supertragically adverb
• untragic adjective
• untragical adjective
• untragically adverb
• untragicalness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tragic¹

First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin tragicus, from Greek tragikós “of tragedy,” from trág(os) “goat” + -ikos -ic; tragedy ( def. )

Example Sentences

His family released a statement saying he had loved the ocean despite its risks, and called his death "a tragic and unavoidable accident".

From BBC

In a statement shared to the actor’s Instagram page on Wednesday, Gibson and Banks expressed condolences to the family “who lost their beloved dog in this tragic incident.”

From Los Angeles Times

"The family is shocked by the tragic, sudden death of such a lovely down to earth man" the tribute added, as the family asked for privacy to grieve.

From BBC

It was the "tragic result" of an "unrelenting wave of Jew hatred", he said in a statement made on Thursday.

From BBC

But experts say emphasis on their handwriting is not about aesthetics or convenience but a medical prescription that leaves room for ambiguity or misinterpretation can have serious - even tragic - consequences.

From BBC

Related Words

• appalling 
• awful 
• calamitous 
• cataclysmic 
• deadly 
• deplorable 
• destructive 
• dire 
• disastrous 
• dreadful 
• fatal 
• fateful 
• grievous 
• grim 
• harrowing 
• heartbreaking 
• miserable 
• painful 
• pathetic 
• pitiful