"Life would be ___ if it weren't funny": Stephen Hawking (6)

I believe the answer is:

tragic

(Other definitions for tragic that I've seen before include "heartbreaking" , "Very sad; Schubert's 4th symphony nickname" , "Ill-fated" , "'Very, very sad (6)'" , "Shocking" .)

I've seen this clue in The New York Times.

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