tragic
Americanadjective
-
characteristic or suggestive of tragedy.
tragic solemnity.
- Antonyms:
- comic
-
extremely mournful, melancholy, or pathetic.
a tragic plight.
- Synonyms:
- pitiful
- Antonyms:
- comic
-
dreadful, calamitous, disastrous, or fatal.
a tragic event.
- Antonyms:
- comic
-
of, pertaining to, characterized by, or of the nature of tragedy.
the tragic drama.
-
acting in or writing tragedy.
a tragic actor; a tragic poet.
noun
adjective
-
of, relating to, or characteristic of tragedy
-
mournful or pitiable
a tragic face
Other Word Forms
-
hypertragicadjective
-
hypertragicaladjective
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hypertragicallyadverb
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nontragicadjective
-
nontragicaladjective
-
nontragicallyadverb
-
nontragicalnessnoun
-
quasi-tragicadjective
-
quasi-tragicallyadverb
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supertragicadjective
-
supertragicallyadverb
-
tragicallyadverb
-
tragicalnessnoun
-
untragicadjective
-
untragicaladjective
-
untragicallyadverb
-
untragicalnessnoun
Etymology
Origin of tragic
First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin tragicus, from Greek tragikós “of tragedy,” from trág(os) “goat” + -ikos -ic; see tragedy ( def. )
Explanation
Tragic means sad on a grand scale. Rain on your parade? Sad. Weeks of rain leading to the destruction of a small town and the lives of those in it? Tragic. Though the word tragic has come to be used for common sorrows, it's best reserved for the kind of sad, unavoidable situations that Shakespeare would have written about. In a staged tragedy, the main character comes to a sad end due to his or her one tragic flaw –– this lead is called a tragic hero.
Vocabulary lists containing tragic
Unit 1: Telling Details
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The Tale of Despereaux
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The Wednesday Wars
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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.
Judge Richard Marks KC described Mr Hayayei's death as "tragic, untimely and wholly avoidable."
From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026
In marking these tragic anniversaries, let’s applaud the liberty and prosperity that lulls us, while vowing to resist the totalitarian threats menacing us, be they overseas or next door.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026
It’s a visually stunning, wildly propulsive and tragic thriller that’s worth a watch.
From MarketWatch • May 31, 2026
Ribeiro’s father never spoke about the difficult moments in his life as an immigrant in a tragic manner.
From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026
“Why not?”When she didn’t answer me, I asked, “Did something tragic happen to you, too?”
From Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
