Tragedy
/ˈtrædʒədi/noun
A very sad event or situation, especially one involving death or suffering.
The earthquake was a national tragedy which claimed thousands of lives.
Often appears as...
- national tragedy
- family tragedy
noun
A play or piece of writing in which the main character suffers a downfall or dies.
He's an expert on Greek tragedy.
Often appears as...
- greek tragedy
- shakespearean tragedy
Usage tips
Literary
noun
An event or situation that brings a feeling of deep sadness.
His early death was a great tragedy.
Often appears as...
- great tragedy
- real tragedy
noun
A very sad event or situation, especially one involving death or suffering.
The earthquake was a national tragedy which claimed thousands of lives.
Often appears as...
- national tragedy
- family tragedy
noun
A play or piece of writing in which the main character suffers a downfall or dies.
He's an expert on Greek tragedy.
Often appears as...
- greek tragedy
- shakespearean tragedy
Usage tips
Literary
noun
An event or situation that brings a feeling of deep sadness.
His early death was a great tragedy.
Often appears as...
- great tragedy
- real tragedy
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Depth of Sadness
Use 'tragedy' to express extreme sorrow, often with a sense of shock.
Losing the entire family in the accident was a tragedy unspeakable.
Pro Tip 2/3Public Impact
'Tragedy' often involves events affecting many people or a community.
The community united after the tragedy of the flood.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Personal Fault
'Tragedy' implies the sadness wasn't directly anyone's fault.
Despite the precautions, the building's collapse was a tragedy.
Compare with
adversityafflictioncalamitycatastrophedisastergriefmisfortunesorrow
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Video examples
I grew up in the...
Once I saw that we were not the ultimate arbiters of divine truth but flawed human beings, I couldn't pretend otherwise. I couldn't justify our actions -- especially our cruel practice of protesting funerals and celebrating human tragedy. These shifts in my perspective
Video examples
Rescuing The Bilbies PIPE...
when i first saw my one in the wild i just thought wow we really need a decent kick in the pants if we were to lose something as beautiful as this it was a personal tragedy that changed frank from office worker into passionate bilby conservationist in
Video examples
Why should you read...
With its fluid language and approach to identity, "Orlando" is considered a key text in gender studies. The mind can only fly so far from the body before it returns to the constraints of life. Like many of her characters, Woolf's life ended in tragedy
Video examples
The Triumph and Tragedy...
white who had just covered world war ii and the holocaust likened the streets of india to the gates of the buchenwald concentration camp that tragedy of partition and its rumbling aftershocks echo through the collective memory of india pakistan and
Video examples
Why should you read...
and he begins to plots his revenge on the new king and his court of conspirators. The play is an odd sort of tragedy, lacking either the abrupt brutality or all-consuming romance that characterize Shakespeare’s other work in the genre.
Video examples
Why tragedies are...
spiraling into ruin. Sound familiar? This is the classic story pattern for Greek tragedy. For thousands of years, we've spun spellbinding tales that fit this pattern, and modern storytellers around the world continue to do so.
Video examples
Are China and the US...
That's my challenge to all of us, but I think where there's a will and where there is imagination we can turn this into a future driven by peace and prosperity and not once again repeat the tragedies of war. I thank you.
Video examples
Embrace: Low-cost,...
these deaths are forgotten about for the most part except for by mothers this is the absolute worst tragedy a mother could endure there's no more helpless of a feeling than watching your child die
Video examples
Serengeti II PIPE Trailer PIPE...
as we strive to protect our families this is the next chapter of our story a story of bravery heartbreak tragedy and joy which we live and breathe every day
Video examples
The Last Days of the...
I think it's a big tragedy big tragedy for the country in for the world
Video examples
I grew up in the...
Once I saw that we were not the ultimate arbiters of divine truth but flawed human beings, I couldn't pretend otherwise. I couldn't justify our actions -- especially our cruel practice of protesting funerals and celebrating human tragedy. These shifts in my perspective
Video examples
Rescuing The Bilbies PIPE...
when i first saw my one in the wild i just thought wow we really need a decent kick in the pants if we were to lose something as beautiful as this it was a personal tragedy that changed frank from office worker into passionate bilby conservationist in
Video examples
Why should you read...
With its fluid language and approach to identity, "Orlando" is considered a key text in gender studies. The mind can only fly so far from the body before it returns to the constraints of life. Like many of her characters, Woolf's life ended in tragedy
Video examples
The Triumph and Tragedy...
white who had just covered world war ii and the holocaust likened the streets of india to the gates of the buchenwald concentration camp that tragedy of partition and its rumbling aftershocks echo through the collective memory of india pakistan and
Video examples
Why should you read...
and he begins to plots his revenge on the new king and his court of conspirators. The play is an odd sort of tragedy, lacking either the abrupt brutality or all-consuming romance that characterize Shakespeare’s other work in the genre.
Video examples
Why tragedies are...
spiraling into ruin. Sound familiar? This is the classic story pattern for Greek tragedy. For thousands of years, we've spun spellbinding tales that fit this pattern, and modern storytellers around the world continue to do so.
Video examples
Are China and the US...
That's my challenge to all of us, but I think where there's a will and where there is imagination we can turn this into a future driven by peace and prosperity and not once again repeat the tragedies of war. I thank you.
Video examples
Embrace: Low-cost,...
these deaths are forgotten about for the most part except for by mothers this is the absolute worst tragedy a mother could endure there's no more helpless of a feeling than watching your child die
Video examples
Serengeti II PIPE Trailer PIPE...
as we strive to protect our families this is the next chapter of our story a story of bravery heartbreak tragedy and joy which we live and breathe every day
Video examples
The Last Days of the...
I think it's a big tragedy big tragedy for the country in for the world
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Dalai Lama
Tibetan Leader
When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways - either by losing hope and falling into self-destructive habits, or by using the challenge to find our inner strength. Thanks to the teachings of Buddha, I have been able to take this second way.
Quote examples
Norman Cousins
American Author
The tragedy of life is in what dies inside a man while he lives - the death of genuine feeling, the death of inspired response, the awareness that makes it possible to feel the pain or the glory of other men in yourself.
Quote examples
George W. Bush
American President
Great tragedy has come to us, and we are meeting it with the best that is in our country, with courage and concern for others because this is America. This is who we are.
Quote examples
Plato
Greek Philosopher
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.
Quote examples
Neil deGrasse Tyson
American Scientist
It's the great tragedy - people employed in ways that don't fully tap everything they do best in life.
Quote examples
Oscar Wilde
Irish Poet
There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it.
Quote examples
Dwight D. Eisenhower
American President
There's no tragedy in life like the death of a child. Things never get back to the way they were.
Quote examples
George Bernard Shaw
Irish Playwright
There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your heart's desire. The other is to gain it.
Quote examples
Benjamin Franklin
American Politician
Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.
Quote examples
Albert Schweitzer
German Theologian
The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he lives.
Quote examples
Dalai Lama
Tibetan Leader
When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways - either by losing hope and falling into self-destructive habits, or by using the challenge to find our inner strength. Thanks to the teachings of Buddha, I have been able to take this second way.
Quote examples
Norman Cousins
American Author
The tragedy of life is in what dies inside a man while he lives - the death of genuine feeling, the death of inspired response, the awareness that makes it possible to feel the pain or the glory of other men in yourself.
Quote examples
George W. Bush
American President
Great tragedy has come to us, and we are meeting it with the best that is in our country, with courage and concern for others because this is America. This is who we are.
Quote examples
Plato
Greek Philosopher
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.
Quote examples
Neil deGrasse Tyson
American Scientist
It's the great tragedy - people employed in ways that don't fully tap everything they do best in life.
Quote examples
Oscar Wilde
Irish Poet
There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it.
Quote examples
Dwight D. Eisenhower
American President
There's no tragedy in life like the death of a child. Things never get back to the way they were.
Quote examples
George Bernard Shaw
Irish Playwright
There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your heart's desire. The other is to gain it.
Quote examples
Benjamin Franklin
American Politician
Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.
Quote examples
Albert Schweitzer
German Theologian
The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he lives.
Example 1 of 10
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