tragic

[traj-ik] / ˈtrædʒ ɪk /

ADJECTIVE

catastrophic, very bad

Synonyms

STRONGEST

appalling awful calamitous cataclysmic deadly deplorable destructive dire disastrous dreadful fatal fateful grievous grim harrowing heartbreaking miserable painful pathetic pitiful sad shocking terrible unfortunate

WEAK

adverse anguished crushing deathly desolate doleful forlorn hapless heart-rending ill-fated ill-starred lamentable mournful pitiable ruinous sorrowful unhappy woeful wretched

Antonyms

STRONGEST

blessed calming cheerful comforting delightful encouraging excellent fortunate good great happy harmless healthful healthy hopeful joyful joyous life-giving lucky nice pleasant pleasing trivial unimportant wholesome wonderful worthwhile

WEAK

advantageous successful

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.

"We have evacuated the school and will carry out a thorough investigation into this tragic incident," he added.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

"Our thoughts remain with the families of Nuria and Selena and all those impacted by this tragic incident."

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Gavalas is the latest example of an AI-chatbot user spiraling into a delusional state, with tragic consequences.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

"Our thoughts continue to be with the child's family following this tragic and distressing incident," she said.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

From the time I finished reading the file, I couldn't stop thinking about how tragic this case was—and my somber thoughts weren't interrupted until a small child was pushed into the visiting room.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Vocabulary lists containing tragic

Unit 1: Telling Details

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

The Tale of Despereaux

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

The Wednesday Wars

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!