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Glite Dictionary
tragic massacre

tragic massacre

8.3
A violent event where many people are killed and people feel deep sorrow
  • noun
  • /ˈtrædʒɪk ˈmæsəˌkɚ/
  • NSFW
translation icon : masacre trágica
  • The memorial honors those lost in the tragic massacre a century ago.

Examples

  • The historian gave a talk on the tragic massacre that occurred in the village.

  • News reports detailed the aftermath of the tragic massacre with interviews from survivors.

  • The tragic massacre shocked the entire nation.

  • Many people mourned after the tragic massacre occurred.

  • The community held a memorial service to honor the victims of the tragic massacre that left many families devastated.

  • News reports highlighted the tragic massacre that occurred in the small town, shocking the nation and prompting calls for change.

  • Witnesses recounted the horrifying details of the tragic massacre that unfolded in the city, leaving a lasting impact on all who were affected.

Synonyms

tragedy
vstragic massacre
915 3.0

A very sad event that causes much suffering and loss

is specifically about violent killing that causes deep sorrow and shock
massacre
vstragic massacre
  • Offensive
198 7.0

The violent killing of many people in a cruel way

is framed as especially sorrowful and shocking rather than only cruel
atrocity
vstragic massacre
151 8.1

A very cruel or violent act that shocks people, often against innocent people

is used when the event also causes widespread sorrow and communal shock
bloodshed
vstragic massacre
  • NSFW
107 4.6

Killing or hurting many people in war and other violence

focuses on the deep sorrow and shock rather than general wartime harm
slaughter
vstragic massacre
  • NSFW
80 5.7

Violent killing of a large number of people

adds the idea of deep communal sorrow and shock to that violence
carnage
vstragic massacre
  • NSFW
65 8.2

A mass killing of people, often during war or attacks

emphasizes the sorrow and shock rather than gruesome detail
bloodbath
vstragic massacre
  • NSFW
45 7.0

A violent event in which many people are killed or a situation with very large losses

stresses the resulting sorrow and communal shock not only violence
mass murder
vstragic massacre
  • NSFW
38 6.7

Killing many people on purpose at the same time or in a short time

focuses more on the deep sorrow and shock caused by the event
bloodletting
vstragic massacre
  • NSFW
6 9.3

A large-scale killing of people during war or political violence

frames the event as sorrowful and shocking rather than a political act
butchery
vstragic massacre
  • NSFW
1 8.1

The very violent killing of many people

highlights deep sorrow and shock beyond the brutal act

Antonyms

celebration
430 1.0

A happy event such as a party that marks a special occasion or achievement

How Violent

genocide
  • Offensive
147 7.7
atrocity
151 8.1
tragic massacre
  • NSFW
8.3
attack
∞ 1.4
incident
∞ 2.7

Surface Forms

tragic massacre singular
tragic massacres plural

Morphology

tragic + massacre

The meaning is directly compositional: 'tragic' (causing great sadness) modifies 'massacre' (the killing of many people), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a particularly sorrowful large-scale killing. This adjective+noun combination follows normal semantic composition patterns and is cross-linguistically transparent, so the phrase is predictable from its parts.

Etymology

Tragic massacre comes from joining tragic (meaning 'very sad') and massacre (meaning 'the killing of many people'). Picture a place where many people are suddenly killed and everyone is left in deep sadness and shock; that strong image is why the phrase means 'an extremely violent event where many people are killed and that causes great sorrow and shock'.