pity 1 of 2

pity

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun pity contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of pity are commiseration, compassion, condolence, and sympathy. While all these words mean "the act or capacity for sharing the painful feelings of another," pity implies tender or sometimes slightly contemptuous sorrow for one in misery or distress.

felt pity for the captives

When is it sensible to use commiseration instead of pity?

The words commiseration and pity can be used in similar contexts, but commiseration suggests pity expressed outwardly in exclamations, tears, or words of comfort.

murmurs of commiseration filled the loser's headquarters

When can compassion be used instead of pity?

While in some cases nearly identical to pity, compassion implies pity coupled with an urgent desire to aid or to spare.

treats the homeless with great compassion

When might condolence be a better fit than pity?

The synonyms condolence and pity are sometimes interchangeable, but condolence applies chiefly to formal expression of grief to one who has suffered loss.

expressed their condolences to the widow

When could sympathy be used to replace pity?

In some situations, the words sympathy and pity are roughly equivalent. However, sympathy often suggests a tender concern but can also imply a power to enter into another's emotional experience of any sort.

went to my best friend for sympathy
in sympathy with her desire to locate her natural parents

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 pity
Noun
That’s why they were dismissed, because critics couldn’t look at these films and see so much pity, crime and gloom. Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2025 According to reporting from the Clermont Sun, Fike tweeted ‘#thug the new n word’ in April 2015 and ‘Thug life = thug treatment = no pity from me’ in July 2019. James Wilkins, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 July 2025
Verb
Brian was simultaneously celebrated for his transcendent musical vision and pitied for the emotional struggles that haunted much of his life. Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025 Wilson himself was celebrated for his gifts and pitied for his demons. CBS News, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for pity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pity
Noun
  • In more recent versions, joy is emphasized over shame.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Tens of thousands of spectators in Beijing looked on as the People’s Republic unveiled laser weapons, nuclear ballistic missiles, and giant underwater drones alongside armored vehicles, tanks, and parading soldiers whose marching prowess put the rest of the world to shame.
    Kerry Brown, Time, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The comedian, who performed as a cast member on the series from 2020 to 2024, reacted to the news of her former colleagues' exits from the show with a mix of confusion and sympathy.
    Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 29 Aug. 2025
  • The story, shared by Reddit user u/kcialis in the r/delta subreddit, has drawn widespread sympathy from fellow travelers and accumulated 2,500 upvotes since it was shared on August 27.
    Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • John Thompson used to love winning games when his Georgetown Hoyas made a lot of mistakes.
    David Aldridge, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Brunch here means shrimp and grits, wings and waffles, and decadent cakes that live up to the bakery’s fun-loving name.
    Rai Mincey, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • He's spent 20 years repaying this debt kindness.
    Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 2 Sep. 2025
  • We are all moved by her kindness and gratefulness in the midst of pain.
    Kayla Grant, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • What begins as a chronicle of her parents, sister, and children’s efforts to secure her return, becomes a portrait of conflicting impulses towards anger, vengeance, and compassion, straining the bonds of one grieving family.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
  • Paige and Drake saw their father put compassion into action and came to understand that the practice of law could be fulfilling and sustainable.
    Nia Bowers, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Kahan, known for his raw anthems, offers more insight into the inner workings of his heart in his lyrics than in public comments.
    Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
  • This isn’t the first study to suggest the importance of breakfast for living a long life—research has shown that regularly eating a morning meal is linked with lower overall and heart-related mortality (and that bypassing it can up your heart-disease risk).
    Erica Sloan, SELF, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • These measurements are fundamental to understanding how greenhouse gas emissions relate to rising temperatures, simultaneously contributing to scientific research and informing policymakers of compliance with environmental regulations.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 6 Sep. 2025
  • If the marathons of New York and London showcase splendour and establishment and magnificence and size and place, then the Great North Run offers something else; to complete it, to witness it, is to understand its pull.
    George Caulkin, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pity. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on pity

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!