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pitiful

adjective

ˈpi-ti-fəl How to pronounce pitiful (audio)
Definition of pitifulnext
1
as in pathetic
deserving pitying scorn (as for inadequacy) that piece of junk is a pitiful excuse for a car

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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

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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 pitiful Will the harsh weather mean poor growth and pitiful harvests? — Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 8 May 2026 Which is a key reason why their economies—with a few exceptions, such as Poland and the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania—have been such pitiful performers in this century. — Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 8 May 2026 Written as a response to the utopian fiction that consumed Russia’s intelligentsia at the time, Notes from Underground is a mirror that reflects the ugliest, most pitiful aspects of humanity back at us. — Big Think, 29 Apr. 2026 These two beacons of truth and connoisseurs of mess have been bonded for over a decade, sharing the traumas of a crappy Boston dorm room and a pitiful Brooklyn dating scene. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 21 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pitiful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pitiful
  1. pathetic
  2. lame
  3. poor
  4. sad
  5. cheap
  6. wretched
  7. dirty
  8. miserable
Adjective
  • This is a complete pathetic effort by defense, offense and coaching.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Among the performers, Smith rules the roost as the no-nonsense Angela, and Jones acquits himself tolerably on comic relief duties as the pathetic Mike.
    — Caspar Salmon, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of pathetic
Adjective
  • The next big issue for me was that Axl shimmied from side to side with an unusual snakelike move that struck me as effeminate and lame.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Trump, meanwhile, will be at best a lame-duck president within weeks of the summit—or worse, if the Democrats are able to take back the House or the Senate.
    — Jonathan A. Czin, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of lame
Adjective
  • Renovation will only yield temporary improvement unless the original cause of a poor-quality lawn is remedied.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The consequences of a poor performance in the takeaway department sets a very high standard for rookies, something that can only bode well for the future.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • However — here is the gold dust — the perfect blend is gay AND sad.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Top Plays from Broncos @ Chiefs Perhaps the only solace for the Broncos after a season of sky-high expectations opened with a flop is those sorts of sad adjectives belonged to everyone.
    — Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of sad
Adjective
  • JetKVM Smaller, cheaper and now wireless JetKVM Mini will come in two versions.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Wolk expressed confidence that J & J can continue growing through future patent expirations, which allow cheaper competition to erode sales of blockbuster drugs.
    — Alexa LoMonaco,Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of cheap
Adjective
  • Not one Wrexham player emerged with credit from a truly wretched performance, apart perhaps from goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, who prevented the margin of defeat being even larger with excellent saves to deny Jarrod Bowen and Manor Solomon.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Those who care deeply about one aspect of something or another often take charge of their memory, not necessarily reflecting the wretched, real-time ambivalence of the original experience.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of wretched
Adjective
  • Cans, water containers, mattresses and crosses - seeming evidence of the home's former Christian occupants — lay scattered across a dirty room.
    — Diego Ibarra Sánchez, NPR, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The lingerers brought their dirty dishes to the bus tub, wiped their mouths one last time with a napkin, and waved to Cleo, their faces saying, Nice job!
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of dirty
Adjective
  • But this sleekly miserable noir about the aftermath of a feckless man’s confrontation with his wife’s younger lover transports the stuff of archetype into Putin’s Russia.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The higher the price of gas goes, the more miserable Republicans become, and the more bettors see the Dems winning.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of miserable

Browse Nearby Words

pities
pitiful
pitiless
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Cite this Entry

“Pitiful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pitiful. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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