pathetic
adjective
pa·thet·ic
pə-ˈthe-tik 
1
: having a capacity to move one to either compassionate or contemptuous pity
2
: marked by sorrow or melancholy : sad
3
: pitifully inferior or inadequate
the restaurant's pathetic service
Examples of pathetic in a Sentence
The spectacle seen in the theater of the news presented the American President as a failed suppliant instead of a conquering hero—an ailing and pathetic figure dismissed with the smile of pity and the gift of some sweet candies shaped as miniature sculptures of the President's two dogs.
—
Lewis H. Lapham, Harper's, March 1992
They were brave, and bravely she served them a pathetic meal of nothing but limitless bowls of little potatoes boiled in their jackets …
—M. F. K. Fisher, With Bold Knife and Fork, 1969
Her face looked pale and extinguished, as if dimmed by the rich red of her dress. She struck Archer, of a sudden, as a pathetic and even pitiful figure.
—Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence, 1920
The blind, old dog was a pathetic sight.
The team was pretty bad last year, but this year they're downright pathetic.
The story he told was a pathetic attempt to cover up a lie.
His car is a pathetic piece of junk.
Lewis H. Lapham, Harper's, March 1992
They were brave, and bravely she served them a pathetic meal of nothing but limitless bowls of little potatoes boiled in their jackets …
—M. F. K. Fisher, With Bold Knife and Fork, 1969
Her face looked pale and extinguished, as if dimmed by the rich red of her dress. She struck Archer, of a sudden, as a pathetic and even pitiful figure.
—Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence, 1920
The blind, old dog was a pathetic sight.
The team was pretty bad last year, but this year they're downright pathetic.
The story he told was a pathetic attempt to cover up a lie.
His car is a pathetic piece of junk.
Recent Examples on the Web
What with weakened teams and consistently pathetic performances, their league form on both their parts has been pathetic enough to be termed a dereliction of duty.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 22 May 2025
Take yesterday’s left hook out of nowhere by President Donald Trump, bragging about doing something that would bust even this pathetic budget.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 21 May 2025
Lewis holds Advance Auto Parts, which looks pathetic alongside AutoZone.
—William Baldwin, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
There, all of his and Jan’s relationship issues are lain bare, with Michael in the role of victim (albeit a pathetic, unselfaware one) to Jan’s control issues and selfishness.
—Ben Rosenstock, Time, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pathetic
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Tim Spiers, New York Times, 22 May 2025
Take yesterday’s left hook out of nowhere by President Donald Trump, bragging about doing something that would bust even this pathetic budget.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 21 May 2025
Lewis holds Advance Auto Parts, which looks pathetic alongside AutoZone.
—William Baldwin, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
There, all of his and Jan’s relationship issues are lain bare, with Michael in the role of victim (albeit a pathetic, unselfaware one) to Jan’s control issues and selfishness.
—Ben Rosenstock, Time, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pathetic
Cite this Entry
“Pathetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pathetic. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
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