tragedy

tragedy — noun

1. An event or situation that causes great sadness, often because it involves death

1.nounB2
Definition

An event or situation that causes great sadness, often because it involves death, serious injury, or the destruction of something valuable to many people.

Example

The fire at Greenhill School was a terrible tragedy that left dozens of families grieving.

countable: a tragedy that + clause

When the earthquake hit, the small fishing village became a scene of tragedy.

uncountable: a scene of tragedy

Common collocations
  • terrible tragedy
  • great tragedy
  • personal tragedy
  • human tragedy
  • national tragedy
  • family tragedy
  • end in tragedy
  • tragedy strikes
  • a scene of tragedy
Synonyms
  • disaster

    More general; a disaster can cause damage without the emotional weight of a tragedy.

  • catastrophe

    Stronger in scale, suggesting wide-ranging destruction; less personal than tragedy.

  • calamity

    More formal and dramatic; often used in literary or historical contexts.

Antonyms
  • miracle

    A wonderful event that brings joy, the opposite of a sad or disastrous event.

  • blessing

    Something good and fortunate, contrasting with a tragic misfortune.

Grammar Patterns

a tragedy that + clause

a tragedy for + noun phrase

end in tragedy

tragedy strikes + noun phrase

Usage Note

Frequently combines with words like 'terrible', 'great', 'personal', 'human', and 'national' to describe the scale or type of sad event. The uncountable form (e.g. 'a day of tragedy') refers to the general state or atmosphere of sadness rather than one specific event.

Common Mistakes

I missed the bus — what a tragedy!
I missed the bus
what a nuisance!' — 'tragedy' describes serious suffering or death, not everyday minor problems.
The car crash was a tragedy but nobody was hurt.
The car crash was a scary accident but fortunately nobody was hurt.
a tragedy involves death or serious suffering, not just any crash.

2. A play or story that finishes in sorrow, where the central figure suffers intens

2.nounB2
Definition

A play or story that finishes in sorrow, where the central figure suffers intensely or dies — typically from a personal flaw or an unstoppable outside force. The word also refers to this entire dramatic genre.

Example

Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' is probably the best-known tragedy in the English language.

Mizuki prefers reading tragedies to comedies because they explore deeper questions about life.

comparison: tragedies vs comedies

Common collocations
  • Greek tragedy
  • Shakespearean tragedy
  • classical tragedy
  • modern tragedy
  • write a tragedy
  • perform a tragedy
  • tragedy by Shakespeare
  • tragedy about love and loss
Antonyms
  • comedy

    A light-hearted play with a happy ending; the traditional opposite of tragedy in dramatic genres.

Grammar Patterns

a tragedy by + author

Greek tragedy / Shakespearean tragedy

write / perform / study a tragedy

a tragedy about + topic

Usage Note

As a countable noun, it refers to an individual play (e.g. 'a tragedy by Sophocles'). As an uncountable noun, it refers to the entire dramatic genre (e.g. 'Greek tragedy is known for its emotional power'). The most famous traditions are Ancient Greek tragedy (e.g. Sophocles, Euripides) and Shakespearean tragedy (e.g. Hamlet, Macbeth).

Common Mistakes

That movie had a sad ending, so it is a tragedy.
That movie had a sad ending, but it is a drama, not a tragedy.
in literary terms, a tragedy follows a specific structure; not every sad story qualifies.
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy because they die at the end.
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy because the characters' own choices and circumstances lead unavoidably to their deaths.
death alone does not make a tragedy; the cause and structure matter.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe negative events, but they differ in scale and emotional tone. 'Disaster' is the broadest term, covering anything from a failed project ('the party was a disaster') to a natural event ('a flood disaster'). 'Tragedy' carries the heaviest emotional weight and specifically involves death or deep human suffering — you would not call a broken leg a tragedy unless it led to serious consequences. 'Catastrophe' emphasises large-scale destruction and often implies that the damage is irreversible ('an environmental catastrophe'). 'Calamity' is the most formal and dramatic of the group, frequently used in historical or literary writing ('the calamity of war'). 'Misfortune' is milder than the others and can apply to personal bad luck ('it was his misfortune to be born in difficult times'). For everyday use, 'disaster' is the safest choice for medium-scale problems; use 'tragedy' only when real loss of life or profound suffering is involved.

disaster ↗catastrophe ↗calamitymisfortune ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • end in tragedy
  • turn into tragedy
  • sense of tragedy
  • struck by tragedy
  • a string of tragedies

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'tragedy' comes from the Greek word 'tragōidia', which literally means 'goat song' ('tragos' = goat, 'ōidē' = song). The name may come from ancient Greek festivals where a goat was awarded as a prize for the best song or drama, or where performers wore goat skins. The term entered English through Latin (tragoedia) and Old French (tragedie), first referring to serious plays with sad endings, and later expanding to describe any deeply sad event or situation in everyday life.