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Synonyms

tragic

American  
[traj-ik] / ˈtrædʒ ɪk /
Sometimes tragical

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 British  
/ ˈtrædʒɪk, ˈtrædʒɪkəl /

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of tragedy

  2. mournful or pitiable

    a tragic face

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of tragic

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

UN rights chief Volker Turk condemned "this absolutely tragic incident", and said he hoped investigations would be "prompt, and that they will be done in full transparency".

From Barron's

"I had absolutely nothing to do with her tragic passing," he said.

From BBC

"It is an extremely tragic case," she said, also urging caution to the public about the dangers of entering such pools.

From BBC

The government spokesperson said their thoughts were with the family following their "tragic loss".

From BBC

He called it “the most tragic day in the history of the Aleutian Lady on the Bering Sea.”

From Los Angeles Times