pitiful
30
3.2
- adjective
- /ˈpɪtɪfəl/
:
pobre
- The boys were in the woods eating the fruit when they heard a pitiful cry from the town.
They swallowed the whole thing whole and then resume right back to the pitiful begging face.
- They swallowed the whole thing whole and then resume right back to the pitiful begging face.
- Some people aren't as pulled in by the pitiful stuff, but lots of people are, especially when it's family relationships.
- I vacillate between being mad at his supporters to feeling pitiful for them.
Examples
-
To him, urban Indians were the most pitiful of God's creatures.
Fiction book (1995) -
The stray dog looked so pitiful as it shivered in the cold rain.
-
Oh, Lord, it looks so pitiful from the back, to be honest.
-
Well, when we help this pitiful king, you shall have them.
-
And I, with my pitiful salary at the school...
-
I think this pitiful man is my age; I think I met him once in San Francisco.
Fiction book (1993) -
Even her idea of an apology is a pitiful way of dealing with it.
Blog text (20) -
That same night, we sent for Eve's things, her few pitiful possessions.
-
Vanessa said Joel Miller was the most pitiful man she knew of.
Fiction book (1995) -
Time stood still as she rocked her daughter in her arms and listened to her pitiful, wracking sobs.
Fiction book (1993)
Synonyms
∞
1.0
Needing pity because they are hurt, sad, or unlucky
702
3.9
Very weak or sad in a way that makes people feel pity and dislike
443
1.8
Feeling very unhappy or suffering a lot
26
7.2
Unlucky in a way that makes people feel sorry
16
5.7
Extremely unhappy and suffering a lot
7
6.1
Making people feel sorry for someone or something
3
7.9
Making people feel sorry because someone is suffering
3
6.0
Feeling very sad and showing deep sorrow, like after bad news
1
7.1
Unlucky and in need of help
Antonyms
Compounds
How Pitiable
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
The word pitiful comes from pity ('feeling sorry') and the ending -ful ('full of'). So it means 'full of pity' or 'deserving pity' — something that makes people feel sorry and want to help.