tragic Definition
- 1causing great sadness, suffering, or disaster
- 2relating to tragedy in a literary work
Using tragic: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "tragic" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The loss of his family was a tragic event.
Example
It is a tragic irony that he died on his birthday.
Example
The play tells the tragic story of a young couple's doomed love.
Example
The hurricane had a tragic impact on the coastal towns.
tragic Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for tragic
Idioms Using tragic
Example
Despite his best efforts, he remained a tragic figure, unable to overcome his personal demons.
Example
The company's bankruptcy was a tragic turn of events for its employees.
Example
The destruction of the ancient city was a tragic waste of cultural heritage.
Phrases with tragic
Example
In Shakespeare's Macbeth, the titular character's tragic flaw is his ambition.
a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to their own destruction
Example
Oedipus from Sophocles' Oedipus Rex is a classic example of a tragic hero.
a play or novel containing elements of both tragedy and comedy
Example
Shakespeare's The Tempest is an example of a tragicomedy.
Origins of tragic
from Greek 'tragikos', meaning 'of or pertaining to tragedy'
Summary: tragic in Brief
The term 'tragic' [ˈtrædʒ.ɪk] refers to events or situations that cause great sadness, suffering, or disaster. It can also relate to tragedy in literary works, such as a tragic hero or tragicomedy. Examples include 'The loss of his family was a tragic event.' and 'The play tells the tragic story of a young couple's doomed love.' Idioms like 'a tragic figure' and 'a tragic turn of events' further emphasize the sense of doom and misfortune.