tragicomedy
noun
a dramatic or other literary composition combining elements of both tragedy and comedy.
tragicomic
-
a word derived from
tragicomedy.
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.
Weaving together material adapted from several ancient Greek sources, Ferdia Lennon’s novel is a tragicomic reimagining of the experience of Athenian prisoners captured during the disastrous Sicilian Expedition of 415-13 B.C.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
As in Samuel Beckett’s tragicomic theater and novels, Tarr’s movies, by turns funny and heartbreaking, dignify human struggle with an uncommon tenacity of vision and empathy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 8, 2026
Yet Harjo wrote Lee as a tragicomic figure perpetually floundering his way through his investigations and his life, taking his share of black eyes and deadly near-misses in the bargain.
From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2025
"Penn is a knockout tragicomic villain: it's his best performance in years," he wrote.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2025
I will not dwell now upon the many tragicomic imbroglios, as I am partly ashamed of those times, and partly inclined to laugh at them.
From Without Dogma by Henryk Sienkiewicz
