tragedy

[ traj-i-dee ]

/ ˈtrædʒ ɪ di /

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See synonyms for: tragedy / tragedies on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural trag·e·dies.

a lamentable, dreadful, or fatal event or affair; calamity; disaster: stunned by the tragedy of so many deaths.

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.

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

the art and theory of writing and producing tragedies.

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

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

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Origin of tragedy

1325–75; Middle English tragedie<Medieval Latin tragēdia,Latin tragoedia<Greek tragōidía, equivalent to trág(os) goat + ōidḗ song (see ode) + -ia-y³; reason for name variously explained

OTHER WORDS FROM tragedy

non·trag·e·dy, noun, plural non·trag·e·dies.pro·trag·e·dy, adjectivesu·per·trag·e·dy, noun, plural su·per·trag·e·dies.

Words nearby tragedy

Trafford, tragacanth, tragedian, tragedienne, tragedize, tragedy, tragic, tragic flaw, tragic hero, tragic irony, tragicomedy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use tragedy in a sentence

Right now we have a president who turns our tragedies into political weapons.
My Dad served in WWII — he was a hero, not a loser|Peter Rosenstein|September 10, 2020|Washington Blade
The skit compares the Death Star’s destruction to the heinous tragedy that befell America nineteen years ago.
Amid geopolitical tensions, ‘Mulan’ is a litmus test for loyalties|rhhackettfortune|September 9, 2020|Fortune
The video of Jacob Blake’s shooting feels like a repeat of the same kind of tragedy, showing an officer repeatedly shooting Blake in the back.
Violent protests against police brutality in the ’60s and ’90s changed public opinion|German Lopez|August 28, 2020|Vox
The pandemic has been an unprecedented event on a truly planetary scale, one that has sadly given people all over the world a unifying human experience through tragedy.
Social Distancing From the Stars|Emily Levesque|August 11, 2020|Quanta Magazine

The past few months have taught us once again that the greatest tragedies in the world do not affect everyone equally.
Let’s lead the return to prosperity by protecting the vulnerable|Rich Lesser|July 15, 2020|Quartz
When twelve people are killed by violence, whoever they are, for whatever reason, that is a tragedy and a waste.
Trolls and Martyrdom: Je Ne Suis Pas Charlie|Arthur Chu|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It generates tragedy, violence, and a windfall for undertakers.
Why Mexicans Are Enraged by Obama’s Big Tuesday Meeting|Ruben Navarrette Jr.|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Yes, publicizing tragedy gets clicks, gets ad revenue, gets notoriety, and can be done for all the wrong reasons.
Cover-Ups and Concern Trolls: Actually, It's About Ethics in Suicide Journalism|Arthur Chu|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Does the sending of the message “justify” the tragedy that caused it?
Cover-Ups and Concern Trolls: Actually, It's About Ethics in Suicide Journalism|Arthur Chu|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The fate of AirAsia Flight 8501 and the 162 souls on board is a tragedy, but it will not remain a mystery for much longer.
Who Will Get AsiaAir 8501’s Black Boxes?|Clive Irving|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Several pioneers familiar with the facts of the tragedy at the time of its occurrence were also present.
Among the Sioux|R. J. Creswell
Happening to walk down the Rue Saint Honoré, he had come upon tragedy.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
A heaviness as of unguessed tragedy lay upon all three, not only upon Tom.
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood
She had seen little of the tragedy enacted in Meerut; she knew less of its real horrors.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
She produced the tragedy of Agnes de Castro in her 17th year, which was followed by several others.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell

British Dictionary definitions for tragedy

tragedy

/ (ˈtrædʒɪdɪ) /

noun plural -dies

(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

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

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

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

the branch of drama dealing with such themes

the unfortunate aspect of something

a shocking or sad event; disaster

Compare comedy

Word Origin for tragedy

C14: from Old French tragédie, from Latin tragoedia, from Greek tragōidia, from tragos goat + ōidē song; perhaps a reference to the goat-satyrs of Peloponnesian plays

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

Cultural definitions for tragedy

tragedy

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.

notes for tragedy

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

notes for tragedy

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

tragedy

Origin of tragedy

OTHER WORDS FROM tragedy

Words nearby tragedy

Words related to tragedy

How to use tragedy in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tragedy

Word Origin for tragedy

Cultural definitions for tragedy

notes for tragedy

notes for tragedy