suffering from or causing extreme distress, misfortune, or sorrow; tragic

disastrous; heavy; grievous

to let out a loud, miserable cry of pain or terror; a blood-curdling screech or shriek

to suffer a crushing defeat

extremely violent, fierce, and resulting in heavy casualties or tragic suffering

to suffer (defeat, death, etc.)

a disastrous event involving significant suffering, misfortune, or loss of life

so terrible or gruesome that one cannot bear to look at it

extremely bitter or painful, typically describing a loss, defeat, or lesson

a violent criminal case or incident involving the murder of many people

wretchedly unhappy or pitiable in one's life or circumstances

dark, dismal, or lackluster in appearance or atmosphere

to die in a tragic manner or meet with a violent, unnatural death

deathly pale

a tragic or shocking scene of ruin and destruction

extremely cruel, cold-blooded, and violating basic human principles

Extremely tragic; characterized by unprecedented brutality.

a terrible tragedy or grave mishap, typically involving significant loss of life or injury

feeling or showing great sorrow or grief, often reflected in one's facial expression

to manage or plan with painstaking effort, often under difficult circumstances (idiom)

wretched sight

to kill or massacre in a cruel and merciless manner

(literary) cruel; savage; merciless

tragic situation; dreadful state

wretched situation

a calamitous or tragic turn of events

too dreadful to hear

too appalling to look at

extremely cruel, wicked, or malicious

(literary) to massacre, slaughter, or brutally kill

feeling or expressing profound sorrow or sadness, typically resulting from a loss or tragedy

a tragic event or disaster

to suffer a tragic or untimely death

Les Misérables (1862) by Victor Hugo

The massacre and coup in Shanghai on April 12, 1927, led by Chiang Kai-shek against the Chinese Communist Party.

the grieved or sorrowful mien of a woman, often used in classical literary contexts