tragic
tragic — adjective
1. describes an event, situation, or outcome that causes great sadness, especially
describes an event, situation, or outcome that causes great sadness, especially because it involves death, serious injury, or permanent loss that cannot be reversed.
Manuela's family received the tragic news about the earthquake this morning.
collocation: tragic news
A tragic accident on the highway killed three young drivers yesterday evening.
collocation: tragic accident
Everyone in town felt it was a tragic loss when the old library burned down.
The documentary shows the tragic effects of the flood on local farming families.
The government's slow response made the disaster even more tragic for survivors.
- heartbreaking
More personal and emotional; focuses on sadness rather than death or destruction
- devastating
Stronger than tragic; emphasizes destruction and shock alongside sadness
- dreadful
Broader and less specific; can describe any unpleasant situation without implying death
文法句型
tragic + noun (accident, death, loss, event)
be + tragic
用法筆記
Commonly used with nouns that describe negative events: accident, death, loss, fire, disaster, outcome. Avoid using this word for minor everyday disappointments — tragic implies serious suffering or loss that cannot be undone.
常見錯誤
2. relating to the literary genre of tragedy — stories about serious human sufferin
relating to the literary genre of tragedy — stories about serious human suffering, moral struggles, and unhappy endings — rather than to real events or personal feelings.
Shakespeare's tragic hero Hamlet struggles with his own doubts and fears.
collocation: tragic hero
In this story, the classic tragic structure shows the hero's slow decline into ruin.
collocation: tragic structure
The critic praised the film for its strong tragic elements and emotional depth.
This novel is an excellent example of the tragic form in modern writing.
Greek audiences expected a tragic drama to end with the main character's death.
文法句型
tragic + noun (hero, flaw, drama, structure, form)
用法筆記
Restricted to literary and theatrical contexts. Use this sense only when discussing works of tragedy or their elements (hero, structure, form, flaw, drama), not for real-world events. For real-life sadness, use sense 1 (VERY SAD).