Pitiful: meaning, definitions and examples

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pitiful

 

[ ˈpɪtɪfʊl ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

feeling or expressing sorrow or sympathy

Deserving or arousing pity; lamentable. Full of or evoking pity; deserving of compassion; sad, pitiable. Arousing or deserving of compassion or scorn; pathetic. Expressing or arousing pity; pathetic.

Synonyms

miserable, pathetic, poor, sad, woeful

Examples of usage

  • He looked so pitiful that I couldn't help but feel sorry for him.
  • The sight of the abandoned puppy was truly pitiful.
  • She gave me a pitiful look, hoping I would change my mind.
Context #2 | Adjective

insufficient or lacking in quality

Pathetically lacking in force or effectiveness. Contemptibly small in amount. Worthy of contempt; despicable. Contemptible; mean-spirited.

Synonyms

contemptible, miserable, paltry, pathetic, shameful

Examples of usage

  • The performance was pitiful, with barely any effort put into it.
  • The amount of money offered was pitiful compared to what was expected.
  • His pitiful attempt to cover up the mistake only made things worse.

Translations

Translations of the word "pitiful" in other languages:

🇵🇹 lamentável

🇮🇳 दया का पात्र

🇩🇪 erbärmlich

🇮🇩 menyedihkan

🇺🇦 жалюгідний

🇵🇱 żałosny

🇯🇵 哀れな

🇫🇷 piteux

🇪🇸 lamentable

🇹🇷 acınası

🇰🇷 한심한

🇸🇦 مثير للشفقة

🇨🇿 ubohý

🇸🇰 úbohý

🇨🇳 可怜的

🇸🇮 ubog

🇮🇸 vesæll

🇰🇿 аянышты

🇬🇪 სამწუხარო

🇦🇿 ağlar günə qalmış

🇲🇽 lamentable

Word origin

The word 'pitiful' originated from the Middle English word 'pitous', which came from the Old French 'piteux' meaning 'compassionate' or 'pious'. Over time, the meaning shifted to convey a sense of sorrow, sympathy, or inadequacy. The term has been used in English literature for centuries to describe situations or individuals that evoke feelings of pity or sadness.

See also: pitiable, pity.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #13,949, this word is part of sophisticated English vocabulary. It's useful for academic or professional contexts where precise language is needed.