1
as in disasters
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in misfortunes
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of tragedies
Conrad said tragedies like the one that took Altman’s life remind him and other firefighters of the job’s danger.
—
Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Caroline, as an ambassador of her family’s dynasty, has to offer condolences while keeping a stiff upper lip, only able to work through the latest of many tragedies in her life internally.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2026
Netflix is rounding out casting for Kennedy, its upcoming drama series that explores the lives, loves, rivalries and tragedies of the Kennedy family.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
Incompetent leaders and shoddy infrastructure are force multipliers for natural disasters, often turning nuisance weather events into tragedies.
—Mark Gongloff, Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2026
The story — told in the colorful, emotional graphic novel that will be published by Z2 — follows three artists on the Seattle scene, tracking their triumphs and tragedies as they are guided by an oracle, the Queen of the Seasons, who narrates the story.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 19 Mar. 2026
The pattern in their tragedies is always the same — a leader, swollen with success, decides the rules no longer apply to him.
—Anthony Scaramucci, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
Worst of all, the program would eventually sustain two heartbreaking tragedies.
—Michael Carrafiello, The Conversation, 16 Mar. 2026
Paloma Quatrini's parents now share their story in hopes of preventing similar tragedies.
—Meghan Schiller, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Caroline, as an ambassador of her family’s dynasty, has to offer condolences while keeping a stiff upper lip, only able to work through the latest of many tragedies in her life internally.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2026
Netflix is rounding out casting for Kennedy, its upcoming drama series that explores the lives, loves, rivalries and tragedies of the Kennedy family.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
Incompetent leaders and shoddy infrastructure are force multipliers for natural disasters, often turning nuisance weather events into tragedies.
—Mark Gongloff, Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2026
The story — told in the colorful, emotional graphic novel that will be published by Z2 — follows three artists on the Seattle scene, tracking their triumphs and tragedies as they are guided by an oracle, the Queen of the Seasons, who narrates the story.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 19 Mar. 2026
The pattern in their tragedies is always the same — a leader, swollen with success, decides the rules no longer apply to him.
—Anthony Scaramucci, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
Worst of all, the program would eventually sustain two heartbreaking tragedies.
—Michael Carrafiello, The Conversation, 16 Mar. 2026
Paloma Quatrini's parents now share their story in hopes of preventing similar tragedies.
—Meghan Schiller, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tragedies
Noun
-
At least 844 people died in what was one of the worst maritime disasters in American history.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
-
All of these downtowns are traffic disasters.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But a staggering series of misfortunes – an arsonist destroyed her rental house; the private equity firm that owned the house still demanded two months’ rent and kept her security deposit; she was diagnosed with ovarian and breast cancer – forced her into tenuous housing situations.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Their eyelike motifs have been associated with the evil eye that could curse performances and bring misfortunes.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In 1941, Japan’s Pearl Harbor surprise attack triggered a nearly 2-year chain of American military catastrophes.—
Gil Troy,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
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But the effects on Qatar’s economy and global energy markets were profound, offering a glimpse of the catastrophes that might follow a broader Iranian military campaign against energy facilities across the Persian Gulf.—
Shane Harris,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Colorado went 43-119, a record that belongs in a museum exhibit beside other modern-era calamities, behind glass.—
Jenny Catlin,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
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There were intervening calamities that Walz, Ellison and Omar had nothing to do with, COVID-19 and the death of George Floyd.—
Joe Soucheray,
Twin Cities,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Based on Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth, the surrealist musical follows one nuclear family across thousands of years and three apocalypses.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
10 Dec. 2025
-
And a lot of the pseudepigrapha, like the fake gospels and fake apocalypses, fill in gaps in the record that can serve latter-day, post-biblical purposes.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tragedies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tragedies. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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