tragedy

noun

ˈtra-jə-dē How to pronounce tragedy (audio)
Definition of tragedynext
1
as in disaster
a sudden violent event that brings about great loss or destruction the earthquake and the ensuing damage was the worst tragedy to ever befall the city

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in misfortune
bad luck or an example of this it's the tragedy of many great artists not to be recognized for their genius until after they're dead

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tragedy The family suffered a devastating tragedy in 2004 when their 14-year-old son, Teddy, died in a private plane crash in Colorado. — Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026 Brutal battle sequences surround the titular football game played in Guadalcanal — a respite before the mass tragedies of the Battle of Okinawa. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2026 Beyond her screen work and family tragedy, Saint James was also known for her longtime advocacy in the sports world. — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026 As her desires run up against codes of honor and custom, the night ends in tragedy. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tragedy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tragedy
  1. disaster
  2. misfortune
  3. catastrophe
  4. calamity
  5. apocalypse
Noun
  • Residents, meanwhile, can give firefighters the best shot at stopping a potential disaster by clearing flammable vegetation in their yards and fire-hardening their homes.
    — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The goal, ultimately, is not to eat our way out of an ecological disaster.
    — Victoria Malloy, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of disaster
Noun
  • The lawsuits, in his eyes, are simply cases of personal misfortune and landlord greed.
    — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 8 Oct. 2026
  • And even the best counters are vulnerable to runs of misfortune.
    — Kit Chellel, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of misfortune
Noun
  • Without an authoritative accounting, Eisenkot argues, the country cannot fully reckon with the catastrophe.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Retreating Iraqi forces set fire to hundreds of oil wells in Kuwait creating an environmental catastrophe felt throughout the Gulf.
    — Paula Hancocks, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of catastrophe
Noun
  • Trump and Lee must restore deterrence, not reward Kim’s aggression, to avoid strategic and economic calamity.
    — Dan Blumenthal, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Further calamity struck in June 2023 when floodwaters inundated the town due to a dam collapse.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of calamity
Noun
  • The bell, sans artist, continues to mark the passage of time, ringing every hour over the pavilion and its guests, a grotesque altar to the ongoing Venetian apocalypse.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Kayla Cottingham’s This Delicious Death is a fresh, fun, sapphic entry into the zombie apocalypse catalog.
    — Rebekah Faubion, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of apocalypse

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tragedies
tragedy
tragic
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Cite this Entry

“Tragedy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tragedy. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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