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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

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
  • Never in my lifetime has pathetic nostalgia for the white man’s republic been closer to the center of power.
    — Brian DeLay, Mercury News, 4 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of pathetic
Adjective
  • But instead of playing kingmaker, the lame-duck governor has refused to get behind a candidate to succeed him.
    — Romy Ellenbogen Herald, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026
  • Stronger and more flavorful than in your original lame iteration?
    — Padgett Powell, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
Definition of lame
Adjective
  • Madrid had a poor 2024-25, failing to win the Spanish title or the Champions League, but Mbappe still scored 42 goals in 44 appearances.
    — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • Using Neanderthal cranium shapes to estimate specific brain regions’ volume, some investigators claimed to see signs of a mind with feeble linguistic abilities, poor executive function and an unremarkable memory.
    — Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 20 July 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • Nostalgic, proud and, yeah, a little sad too, that the decade-long journey of making Stranger Things has come to an end.
    — Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 15 July 2026
  • In the comments, fans expressed conflicted feelings about the ride’s closure, with some excited for the new version and others sad to hear the original Kumba ride will soon be no more.
    — Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026
Definition of sad
Adjective
  • The cheapest ticket available as of Wednesday was going for $7,451.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
  • But that mandate has always been balanced with the desire for economic expansion, which is boosted by, oftentimes, cheaper labor and manufacturing costs from importing goods overseas.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 16 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
  • Spain versus Argentina in the final 24 hours later was never going to be a purists’ classic, but what unfolded was undoubtedly the dirtiest final since 2010, when the Spanish also faced aggressive, uncompromising opponents — the Netherlands.
    — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • Some Roomba models from as far back as 2004 can still be found in some homes, working away on dirty floors.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 20 July 2026
Definition of dirty
Adjective
  • The story of Superman’s young cousin never achieved liftoff, brought down by miserable reviews and a lack of familiarity with Krypton’s far less famous refugee.
    — Brent Lang, Variety, 16 July 2026
  • Spurs evolved from a side who did not press well and could not progress the ball through the middle of the pitch through Frank’s miserable period and Tudor’s hapless interlude, to a side who tried to do exactly those things.
    — Elias Burke, New York Times, 13 July 2026
Definition of miserable

Browse Nearby Words

pities
pitiful
pitiless
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on pitiful

Nglish: Translation of pitiful for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of stalwart

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All