1
: deserving or causing feelings of pity or sympathy
a pitiful lost dog
the child's pitiful cries
2
: causing feelings of dislike or disgust by not being enough or not being good enough
a pitiful [=very small] amount of money
a pitiful excuse
She made a pitiful attempt to complete her work.
Cite this Entry
“Pitiful.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/pitiful. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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