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

Etymology

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.