[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/tragic/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [T](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/t/) / tragic

# tragic

adjective (tragic, more tragic, most tragic)

«tragic» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Tragic means very sad, usually because someone has died or suffered something terrible. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tragic/#m1)
2. In literature, tragic means to do with a tragedy, a serious play or story that ends in disaster for the main character. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tragic/#m2)
3. (informal, slang) Tragic can mean embarrassingly bad: "His dancing is tragic." [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tragic/#m3)

### In the lessons

In news and history it describes accidents, wars and disasters. In English lessons it names a kind of story or hero. In playground talk it can be a jokey insult. Phrases: a tragic accident, tragic news, tragic hero, a tragic ending.

### Examples

- The ship sank in a tragic accident. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tragic/#x1)
- It is tragic that so many animals lose their homes in fires. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tragic/#x2)
- The story has a tragic ending. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tragic/#x3)
- The tragic hero makes one big mistake that ruins him. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tragic/#x4)
- (slang) "That haircut is tragic," my brother joked. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tragic/#x5)
- We heard the tragic news on the radio. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tragic/#x6)
- She let her hands play in the hair of the tragic boy. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tragic/#x7)

### Note

Adverb: tragically. Noun: tragedy. The slang sense is jokey and can sound unkind. Do not use "tragic" for small problems in formal writing.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «tragic» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tragic/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«tragic» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/tragic.html) on Mova free.