pitiful

[ pit-i-fuhl ]

adjective

1. evoking or deserving pity:

   a pitiful fate.

   Synonyms: pathetic, woeful, deplorable, lamentable

   Antonyms: delightful

2. evoking or deserving contempt by smallness, poor quality, etc.:

   pitiful attempts.

   Synonyms: despicable, vile, base, low, mean, deplorable

   Antonyms: honorable

3. Archaic. full of pity; compassionate.

pitiful

/ ˈpɪtɪfʊl /

adjective

1. arousing or deserving pity
2. arousing or deserving contempt
3. archaic.
   full of pity or compassion

Derived Forms

• ˈpitifulness, noun
• ˈpitifully, adverb

Other Words From

• piti·ful·ly adverb
• piti·ful·ness noun
• self-piti·ful adjective
• self-piti·ful·ly adverb
• self-piti·ful·ness noun
• un·piti·ful adjective
• un·piti·ful·ly adverb
• un·piti·ful·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of pitiful¹

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; pity, -ful

Synonym Study

Pitiful, pitiable, piteous apply to that which excites pity (with compassion or with contempt). That which is pitiful is touching and excites pity or is mean and contemptible: a pitiful leper; a pitiful exhibition of cowardice. Pitiable may mean lamentable, or wretched and paltry: a pitiable hovel. Piteous refers only to that which exhibits suffering and misery, and is therefore heart-rending: piteous poverty.

Example Sentences

He added: “The displaced came as guests and we welcome them. But if there is someone stranger here, whoever he is - it might be my own child and I’m not aware of him being in Hezbollah - and they target him, and children and women get killed, isn’t that pitiful?”

From BBC

And we can lay all this suffering at the feet of the pitiful carcass of what used to be the Republican party.

From Salon

Pakistan will rue the dropped catches - it was a pitiful display which saw bonus chances given to Bates, Kerr, Sophie Devine and Brooke Halliday.

From BBC

Martin Donovan as Trump’s father is frightening and pitiful.

From Salon

There are also some truly pitiful attempts by Adams to cover his tracks.

From Slate

Related Words

• dismal
• distressing
• insignificant
• lamentable
• miserable
• paltry
• pathetic
• sad
• shabby
• sorry
• touching
• woeful
• wretched