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 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 Completing the hat trick in pitiful style, Taking on the World was shot on a shoestring budget, helmed by the man behind Highlander III, and forced to rely on stock footage of real-life footballers. — Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 26 June 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 Given the national team’s pitiful demise at the Oval, with New Zealand completing victory on the fifth morning, Ben Stokes’ revival in absentia feels like the only consolation from a miserable week. — Hector Vickers, New York Times, 21 June 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
  • Instagram Plus is social media’s newest low—a company preying on our most pathetic impulses, for the price of a small iced coffee.
    — Annie Joy Williams, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
  • After these first three majors — and after a pathetic showing this week at Shinnecock — there's no reason to bet against it.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 June 2026
Definition of pathetic
Adjective
  • Stronger and more flavorful than in your original lame iteration?
    — Padgett Powell, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
  • 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.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 June 2026
Definition of lame
Adjective
  • Overflowing poor drainage areas in urban areas of northwest Hickory and in the Northlakes area of Caldwell County.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 7 July 2026
  • There was a lot of poor decision-making with this match, on and off the pitch.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • Day broke, bathing everything in light, and so great was the vitality of the early-morning sun that even the unhappy city seemed to smile a wan, sad smile.
    — Vasily Grossman, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
  • But SpringHill really took off in 2020, two seasons into James’ Lakers term, when The SpringHill Company went public (and the Lakers won the sad COVID-bubble NBA Championship).
    — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 30 June 2026
Definition of sad
Adjective
  • Microchips are relatively cheap and are required for every pet in Los Angeles County over 4 months old.
    — Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • Prove Your Claims With Evidence In a market flooded with AI capabilities, claims are cheap, and every launch sounds the same.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of cheap
Adjective
  • Sixteen children from the same family who were rescued from a dilapidated home in rural Ohio were living in wretched conditions with human waste all around, confined to just one room over much of the past four years, authorities said.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • The Giants, who went on to lose yesterday, are now 31-46, and the vibes are wretched.
    — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 22 June 2026
Definition of wretched
Adjective
  • Or stands proudly athwart a county that has long demonized it as too dirty, too crime-ridden — in other words, too Latino.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • At the center sits a giant mound of dirty work clothes, and hidden speakers play a nonstop whisper of the laborers’ names.
    — Jeff Chu, Travel + Leisure, 6 July 2026
Definition of dirty
Adjective
  • Remarkably, La Roja have failed to win a knockout round match in their last three World Cups, but expect Lamine Yamal and company to end that miserable run today.
    — David Hickey, NBC news, 2 July 2026
  • But the American job market has chugged along, continuing to rebound from a miserable 2025.
    — Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 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 8 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of pitiful for Spanish Speakers

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