pitiful
/'pitiful/
Definition
- Adjective:
- Deserving or arousing pity: "pitiful" describes something or someone that evokes feelings of compassion, sympathy, or sorrow due to misfortune or suffering.
- Contemptibly poor or small: "pitiful" can also describe something that is so inadequate, meager, or worthless it inspires scorn or disdain.
Examples of Usage
- Deserving pity:
- The refugees were in a pitiful state after their long journey.
- She gave a pitiful cry when she realized her pet was lost.
- Contemptibly inadequate:
- He made a pitiful attempt to apologize.
- The company offered a pitiful sum as compensation.
Advanced Usage
- "pitiful sight": a sight that arouses strong feelings of pity.
- The abandoned puppy was a pitiful sight.
- "pitiful excuse": a very weak or inadequate excuse.
- Being tired is a pitiful excuse for missing the important meeting.
Variants and Related Words
- Pitifully (adverb): in a manner that arouses pity or is contemptibly inadequate.
- The dog whined pitifully.
- The team was pitifully unprepared for the challenge.
- Pitiable (adjective): deserving pity; often interchangeable with the first sense of "pitiful."
- The victims were in a pitiable condition.
Synonyms
- Pathetic: arousing pity, or miserably inadequate.
- Deplorable: deserving strong condemnation; shockingly bad.
- Lamentable: regrettable; unfortunate.
- Wretched: in a very unhappy or unfortunate state.
Related Phrases
- To look pitiful: to have an appearance that elicits pity.
- He looked so pitiful standing in the rain that I offered him a ride.
- A pitiful amount/display/performance: an amount or performance that is notably poor or insufficient.
- The turnout for the event was a pitiful display of support.
Adjective
-
deserving or inciting pity
-
a hapless victim
-
miserable victims of war
-
the shabby room struck her as extraordinarily pathetic- Galsworthy
-
piteous appeals for help
-
pitiable homeless children
-
a pitiful fate
-
Oh, you poor thing
-
his poor distorted limbs
-
a wretched life
-
-
bad; unfortunate
-
my finances were in a deplorable state
-
a lamentable decision
-
her clothes were in sad shape
-
a sorry state of affairs
-
-
inspiring mixed contempt and pity
-
their efforts were pathetic
-
pitiable lack of character
-
pitiful exhibition of cowardice
-
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