tragedy

American  

[traj-i-dee] / ˈtrædʒ ɪ di /

noun

tragedies plural

1. a lamentable, dreadful, or fatal event or affair; calamity; disaster.

   stunned by the tragedy of so many deaths.

2. a dramatic composition, often in verse, dealing with a serious or somber theme, typically involving a great person destined to experience downfall or utter destruction, as through a character flaw or conflict with some overpowering force, as fate or an unyielding society.

3. the branch of the drama that is concerned with this form of composition.

4. the art and theory of writing and producing tragedies.

5. any literary composition, as a novel, dealing with a somber theme carried to a tragic or disastrous conclusion.

6. the tragic or mournful or calamitous element of drama, of literature generally, or of life.

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tragedy British  

/ ˈtrædʒɪdɪ /

noun

1. (esp in classical and Renaissance drama) a play in which the protagonist, usually a man of importance and outstanding personal qualities, falls to disaster through the combination of a personal failing and circumstances with which he cannot deal

2. (in later drama, such as that of Ibsen) a play in which the protagonist is overcome by a combination of social and psychological circumstances

3. any dramatic or literary composition dealing with serious or sombre themes and ending with disaster

4. (in medieval literature) a literary work in which a great person falls from prosperity to disaster, often through no fault of his own

5. the branch of drama dealing with such themes

6. the unfortunate aspect of something

7. a shocking or sad event; disaster

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tragedy Cultural  

1. A serious drama in which a central character, the protagonist — usually an important, heroic person — meets with disaster either through some personal fault or through unavoidable circumstances. In most cases, the protagonist's downfall conveys a sense of human dignity in the face of great conflict. Tragedy originated in ancient Greece in the works of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. In modern times, it achieved excellence with William Shakespeare in such works as Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, and Othello. Twentieth-century tragedies include Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller, and Murder in the Cathedral, by T. S. Eliot.

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Discover More

In common usage, disasters of many kinds are called tragedies.

Aristotle argued that the proper effect of tragedy is catharsis — the purging of the emotions.

Other Word Forms

• nontragedy
  noun
• protragedy
  adjective
• supertragedy
  noun

Etymology

Origin of tragedy

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English tragedie, from Medieval Latin tragēdia, Latin tragoedia, from Greek tragōidía, from trág(os) “goat” + ōid(ḗ) “song” ( see ode) + -ia -y ³; reason for name variously explained

Explanation

Tragedy is a noun that indicates disaster or bad fortune. It would be a tragedy to lose your job, but an even greater tragedy to fall ill while unemployed and without health care. First recorded in the late 14th century, the noun tragedy originally referred to a play with an unhappy ending. About a century later it also came to mean an unhappy event or a disaster. The playwright George Bernard Shaw wittily observed, "“There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your heart's desire. The other is to gain it.” The comedian Mel Brooks defined tragedy as follows: "Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you walk into an open sewer and die."

Example Sentences

“This is an absolute tragedy and given the number of deceased, the Robbery-Homicide Special is handling the investigation,” said Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Mike Bland.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

"Our hearts and prayers are with the families who have lost their beloved daughters," President William Ruto said on X, describing it as an "unimaginable tragedy".

From Barron's • May 28, 2026

Like Johnson in “The Smashing Machine,” Gyllenhaal plays an UFC contender named Elwood Dalton, who’s disgraced after a tragedy in the ring.

From Salon • May 27, 2026

“American Rambler” ends with the story of the Fitzgerald family’s latest tragedy: heartbreaking, harrowing and eloquently told.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

No trace of this personal tragedy showed in his care for the rest of us.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

• adversity
• calamity
• catastrophe
• failure
• hardship
• humiliation
• misfortune
• mishap
• shock
• struggle
• woe
• wreck