pitiful

adjective

piti·​ful ˈpi-ti-fəl How to pronounce pitiful (audio)
1
archaic : full of pity : compassionate
2
a
: deserving or arousing pity or commiseration
b
: exciting pitying contempt (as by meanness or inadequacy)
pitiful wages
pitifully adverb
pitifulness noun

Examples of pitiful in a Sentence

She made a pitiful attempt to complete her work. that piece of junk is a pitiful excuse for a car
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And at times, in certain places and situations, it was expected and welcome—on a long walk, or when a person confessed something pitiful, or at a funeral or a party. Zadie Smith, New Yorker, 30 June 2025 But Gilbert is oddly silent on this pitiful bouquet of pick-me behaviors in Girl on Girl. Book Marks june 12, Literary Hub, 12 June 2025 This could have been a sad or pitiful moment; instead, it was suffused with warmth. Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 12 June 2025 For example, the 1890s saw the Royal Observatory hire women for the first time, who worked for a pitiful wage as 'computers' to examine and refine observational data. Anthony Wood, Space.com, 22 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for pitiful

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pitiful was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Pitiful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pitiful. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

pitiful

adjective
piti·​ful ˈpit-i-fəl How to pronounce pitiful (audio)
1
: deserving or arousing pity or sympathy
a pitiful mongrel
2
: deserving pitying scorn (as by not being adequate)
a pitiful excuse
pitifully adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on pitiful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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