tragicomedy
1
7.2
- noun
- /ˌtrædʒɪˈkɒmədi/
- One of the crucial dimensions that got swamped in the long-drawn-out tragicomedy of the Clinton impeachment was the basic fact that the Clinton-Lewinsky affair was a case of extramarital sex between consenting adults.
Examples
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Instead, we are treated to political tragicomedy.
Blog text (9) -
One had the headlines: "The Vodka Putsch -- How Not to Mount a Coup" and "Plotters' Tragicomedy of Booze, Lies, Distrust."
Academic text (1993) -
On the other hand, we have the tragicomedy of the political scene, with successive meetings between the heads of the government coalition parties, the constant "drawing of lines not to be crossed," only to be forgotten the next day, and a whole façade of "trying hard" to avoid even harsher measures, whereas it is more than obvious that most of the measures had been agreed on from the beginning.
Blog text (21) -
The political debate devolved into a tragicomedy, with serious issues overshadowed by absurd remarks from the candidates.
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In her new book, the author portrays the tragicomedy of life during the pandemic, highlighting both the struggles and the humorous moments.
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The documentary depicted the tragicomedy of the town's attempts to recover from disaster, blending heartbreaking stories with moments of unexpected laughter.
Synonyms
A play or film that makes people laugh and feel sad at the same time
How Tragic
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Tragicomedy joins tragic ('sad') and comedy ('funny'), and we use it for real events that have both serious and absurd sides, which is why a messy, sad-but-ridiculous situation can be called a tragicomedy.