1
as in pathetic
deserving pitying scorn (as for inadequacy)
that piece of junk is a pitiful excuse for a car
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lame
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
a pitiful coward
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in poor
deserving of one's pity
pitiful orphans who had lost everything in the war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pitiful
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pitiful
Adjective
-
Phoenix assumes a pathetic and quietly arrogant demeanor as Joe, who speaks in a squeaky, exasperated cadence.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
17 July 2025
-
Enter Flores, who was hired shortly after that pathetic performance.—
Steve Silverman,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
As holidays go, however, Flag Day can feel a bit lame.—
Kevin Fisher-Paulson,
San Francisco Chronicle,
8 June 2021
-
My 11-year-old loved watching the pups roll balls and play a giant floor piano, but for non-dog owners (guilty as charged), parts of the series—like dressing dogs in little hats and outfits for a Parisian fashion show—feel lame.—
Tim Neville,
Outside Online,
23 Nov. 2020
Adjective
-
Spurred by climate change, Canadian wildfires have increasingly exacerbated poor air quality across Milwaukee and southern Wisconsin.—
Maia Pandey,
jsonline.com,
24 July 2025
-
Of course, poor Michael Landon had passed away way too young.—
Angela Andaloro,
People.com,
23 July 2025
Adjective
-
The sad reality is that Lucky really hasn't had all that much luck in his life to date.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 July 2025
-
Collins, who has previously celebrated the unique pleasures of the early dinner, finds something to like about lunch in all its guises—the power lunch, the liquid lunch, even the sad desk lunch.—
Ian Crouch,
New Yorker,
25 July 2025
Adjective
-
Xfinity offers some of the cheapest plans available in Nashville, but prices may go up once the promotional period ends.—
Kara McGinley,
USA Today,
1 Aug. 2025
-
The 996 also felt cheap inside, borrowing interior trim from the Boxster—hardly fitting for a car with a base MSRP of $65,000 at the time.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
This was obvious in their defining performances — the wretched FA Cup semi-final defeat against Crystal Palace and the failure to qualify for the Champions League at Old Trafford were prime examples.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
23 July 2025
-
That was a fine symbolic soundtrack for the numbing atmosphere after a game that epitomized a wretched stretch for the Royals — one that is threatening to define and derail a seemingly promising season.—
Vahe Gregorian,
Kansas City Star,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
Another is to use one of the brand's sprays and spritz the dirty surface, wipe it down, then rinse with water.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
31 July 2025
-
That version of Boldy — the skilled scorer not afraid to go to the dirty areas — had superstar qualities and scored some big-time goals.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
31 July 2025
Adjective
-
For now, this is DeVries on the job: intent but measured, teeth ready to clamp down on his tongue, establishing standards while also very much trying to make sure his team isn’t miserable from the beginning.—
Brian Hamilton,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
-
His Panthers opened the season with two miserable losses, complete with booing from fans in the home opener, and the 23-year-old soon became the first quarterback selected No. 1 overall in the Super Bowl era to be benched for non-injury reasons.—
Eric Jackson,
Sportico.com,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pitiful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pitiful. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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