as in merciful
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Dissimilar Words
as in loving
to have sympathy for
I always pity the people who have to work in this freezing weather
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pitying
Daniyal Mueenuddin, New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2025
Twenty-first-century indie shaped the identities of many Millennials, but it’s now often talked about with pitying nostalgia—as the bygone style of hipsters with handlebar mustaches pretending to be countercultural while making easy-listening music for hotel lobbies.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
The mother took him in, pitying his orphan status and appreciating his straightforward manners, neither servile nor presumptuous, but respectful and unembarrassed and warm.
—Daniyal Mueenuddin, New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2025
Twenty-first-century indie shaped the identities of many Millennials, but it’s now often talked about with pitying nostalgia—as the bygone style of hipsters with handlebar mustaches pretending to be countercultural while making easy-listening music for hotel lobbies.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pitying
Adjective
-
Although Ake wants to be merciful, Anisha aided a crime that resulted in the death of a Federation officer.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
16 Jan. 2026
-
And what seemed most probably was a blip ultimately dominoed into the disillusioning 2025 season that will come to a merciful end on Sunday in Las Vegas.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The wine-loving psychic is wearing a silky robe paired with pearls, palm trees behind her.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
26 Jan. 2026
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What brings the tweezer-loving team to Los Angeles?—
Emily Wilson,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Consider adding salt-tolerant plants close to roads, driveways, and sidewalks.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
31 Jan. 2026
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In any case, the tree in question is drought-tolerant and will easily subsist on a single weekly soaking or less when its shallow roots are covered with mulch.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Will Swenson, the accomplished Broadway actor, offers an unusually sympathetic yet never sentimentalized Sweeney.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
In one corner, the heartless girlboss; in the other, the crackpot conspiracy theorist (who just happens to be more sympathetic and charismatic than such types usually are).—
Nate Jones,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
That’s why understanding how carbon monoxide detectors work is essential for protecting your household.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Chastain, who is the lead star and an executive producer of the series, was not especially understanding.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, be patient during intense discussions with one of your kids or a romantic partner.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
5 Feb. 2026
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Turkey has long been a leading destination for cosmetic surgery, and demand has been on the rise, attracting an international patient base from Europe, North America, and beyond.—
Kaitlyn Gomez,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
With the economy in the doldrums, the public is less forbearing.—
Jeff Kingston,
Time,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In addition, Tucker claims MSU adopted a much lighter and more forgiving touch with two white coaches, football coach Mark Dantonio and basketball coach Tom Izzo, when they and their programs were accused of wrongdoing.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
3 Feb. 2026
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This recipe is also highly forgiving; feel free to add your favorite veggies for extra color.—
Lizzy Briskin,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pitying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pitying. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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