1
: causing feelings of sadness and sympathy
I could hear her pathetic [=pitiful] cries for help.
The blind, old dog was a pathetic sight.
2
informal + disapproving
: very bad, poor, weak, etc.
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.
a pathetic excuse
His car is a pathetic piece of junk.
Cite this Entry
“Pathetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/pathetic. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
Copy Citation
