adjective
tragic
TRAJ-ik/ˈtrædʒɪk/
Causing great sorrow or suffering.
The mother and daughter grieve a tragic death beside the flower-covered coffin.
Etymology
Greek tragikos described what pertained to tragedy. The suffering and unhappy endings of stage tragedies supplied the comparison behind calling real events tragic: they cause the profound sorrow associated with those dramas.
In context
it remains one of the most devastating and controversial disasters in the history of mountaineering a tragic event that left a lasting impact on the climbing Community
More examples
- The report describes the tragic consequences of the famine.
- She shares the tragic story of her brother's death.
- A simple safety check can prevent a tragic mistake.
Forms
tragic
tragedy noun — An event causing great sorrow or suffering.
tragically adverb — In a way that causes great sorrow.
Similar words
- heartbreaking
- Emphasizes intense emotional pain rather than the suffering itself.
- devastating
- Emphasizes overwhelming harm, which may be emotional or physical.