pitiful

adjective

piti·​ful ˈpi-ti-fəl 

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

ˈpi-ti-f(ə-)lē 

adverb

pitifulness

ˈpi-ti-fəl-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• contemptible
• despicable
• miserable
• pathetic
• pitiable
• sad
• sorry
• wretched

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

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

There is nothing deficient, unnatural or pitiful about being single, as we’re often led to believe. —Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025

Kate is right in Fey’s Liz Lemon wheelhouse (if a little less pitiful), and Forte is shockingly normal as Kate’s nice-guy husband Jack. —Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 1 May 2025

For better or worse, high-end eco-resorts of this type tend to focus on hyper-local ingredients often grown in a pitiful little garden behind the kitchen. —Christopher Cameron, Robb Report, 30 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

pitiful

adjective

piti·​ful ˈpit-i-fəl 

1

: deserving or arousing pity or sympathy

a pitiful mongrel

2

: deserving pitying scorn (as by not being adequate)

a pitiful excuse

pitifully

-f(ə-)lē 

adverb