1
as in pitiful
deserving of one's pity
the plight of the homeless family was quite pathetic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sad
causing unhappiness
a pathetic story that made her cry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in miserable
deserving pitying scorn (as for inadequacy)
the crowd mercilessly booed the boxer's pathetic performance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in ridiculous
so foolish or pointless as to be worthy of scornful laughter
the pundit's latest book is another pathetic jumble of factual errors, half-baked political views, and baseless accusations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pathetic
Sports make people a little pathetic.
—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
Williams didn't portray Peter Banning as pathetic.
—
Cynthia Pelayo,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
The plan involved discovering a long lost princess, hopping on a plane to London, breaking into a museum store room, and enlisting the help of a very pathetic historian.
—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026
In our home, DC used a small, pathetic room meant for storage to pursue his hobbies.
—
Marni Jameson,
Arkansas Online,
22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pathetic
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
Williams didn't portray Peter Banning as pathetic.
—
Cynthia Pelayo,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
The plan involved discovering a long lost princess, hopping on a plane to London, breaking into a museum store room, and enlisting the help of a very pathetic historian.
—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026
In our home, DC used a small, pathetic room meant for storage to pursue his hobbies.
—
Marni Jameson,
Arkansas Online,
22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pathetic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pathetic
Adjective
-
Trump has made a pitiful shambles of what should have been a glorious moment.
-
With his country flailing in their pitiful attempts to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, at the age of 33, Zidane underwent his change of heart.
Adjective
-
Then Greene takes a long, sad subway ride home, and America learns that one of their favorite TV doctors isn't flawless.
-
Local foodies were sad to hear owner Sylvia Chung (Momma Chung) retired and closed the south Fort Worth restaurant in October of last year.
Adjective
-
Bryson, in particular, has looked miserable all season.
-
Despite concerns that the conflict in the Middle East would further squeeze a flagging labor market, hiring has picked up in recent months following a miserable 2025 that saw fewer than 200,000 job gains.
Adjective
-
That is, on paper anyway, a ridiculous sentence.
-
So why not put something ridiculous or funny in the background, even during a scene that’s only there to move the exposition forward?
Adjective
-
Rebecca Lowe joins Dan Patrick to discuss some of the top storylines around the World Cup, including Cristiano Ronaldo's poor play to start, the United States' potential and more.
-
Will the gap between rural and urban America – and the gap between rich and poor America – decline or grow?
Adjective
-
What a depressing, disturbing waste, no matter the final verdict.
-
After watching and enjoying the film, a somewhat depressing thought leaped into my mind.
Adjective
-
On paper, some of the six, all of whom are far-right conservatives, have enviable educational backgrounds, but the record has proven that each one is openly political and willing to rubber-stamp nearly all of DeSantis’ lame and unconstitutional policies.
-
In November 2008 an errant air strike, conducted under auspices of a lame-duck Bush administration, killed 37 civilians who were at a wedding party in Wech Baghtu, Afghanistan.
Adjective
-
Blending historical facts and patriotic myths, the works offer a vibrant, playful and sometimes absurd look at events like the signing of the Declaration of Independence and Washington crossing the Delaware.
-
As tensions rise and panic sets in, the sisters are forced into a painful and increasingly absurd fight for survival before the homeowner returns.
Cite this Entry
“Pathetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pathetic. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
