1
as in pathetic
deserving pitying scorn (as for inadequacy)
that piece of junk is a pitiful excuse for a car
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of pitiful
This pitiful state of affairs has arisen even though the EU has a strong industrial base and counts four of the world’s ten largest arms exporters among its members.
—
Norbert Röttgen, Foreign Affairs, 22 Nov. 2024
There’s a pitiful quality to Armand’s seeming inability to understand love as an emotion that can’t be negotiated or strong-armed, and Zaman captures that aspect of the character in his soft eyes and pleading line deliveries, too.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 2 July 2024
The credit is non-existent, the pay pitiful given the expertise involved.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 Nov. 2024
Just about every memory of his father and uncle turns on the question of masculinity, how manly qualities must triumph over the pitiful feminine.
—Robert Rubsam, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pitiful 
Norbert Röttgen, Foreign Affairs, 22 Nov. 2024
There’s a pitiful quality to Armand’s seeming inability to understand love as an emotion that can’t be negotiated or strong-armed, and Zaman captures that aspect of the character in his soft eyes and pleading line deliveries, too.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 2 July 2024
The credit is non-existent, the pay pitiful given the expertise involved.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 Nov. 2024
Just about every memory of his father and uncle turns on the question of masculinity, how manly qualities must triumph over the pitiful feminine.
—Robert Rubsam, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pitiful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pitiful
Adjective
-
In the final, pathetic weeks of his failed presidency, Joe Biden has been casting about desperately for a positive legacy.—
Jack Butler,
National Review,
12 Jan. 2025
-
The 10th pick will be your usual pathetic Bear player.—
Jon Greenberg,
The Athletic,
5 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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As holidays go, however, Flag Day can feel a bit lame.—
Kevin Fisher-Paulson,
San Francisco Chronicle,
8 June 2021
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My 11-year-old loved watching the pups roll balls and play a giant floor piano, but for non-dog owners (guilty as charged), parts of the series—like dressing dogs in little hats and outfits for a Parisian fashion show—feel lame.—
Tim Neville,
Outside Online,
23 Nov. 2020
Adjective
-
The Texans’ offensive line was mostly poor this season, unable to consistently protect Stroud.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
The Athletic,
24 Jan. 2025
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Understand that poor sleep hygiene can negatively impact the quantity and quality of sleep.—
Dominique Fluker,
Essence,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
But nothing in life is sadder than a reality television person who doesn't know when to retire.—
Dana Rose Falcone,
People.com,
15 Jan. 2025
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Air France regrets this sad event and expresses its sincere condolences.—
Michael D. Carroll AND Theo Burman,
Newsweek,
15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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When done right, this type of content may be cheaper to produce compared to scripted shows, and bring in new (typically younger) demographics who have currently have more of an affinity to YouTube and other social media channels.—
Kiri Masters,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
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Several North Florida areas are averaging less than $3 a gallon as the region remains the cheapest to get gas in the state, in some places about 25 cents cents less per gallon than South Florida.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Other players have been successful elsewhere, including Tomljanovic and Sam Stosur, who won the 2011 U.S. Open, but both have relatively wretched records in Melbourne.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
The Athletic,
16 Jan. 2025
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That’s good news for drivers who use this wretched thoroughfare and worry that their tires and shocks could not withstand the ruts and ridges of constant travel on a road that looks like it was damaged by mortar fire.—
Jerry Shnay,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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If not changed regularly dirty filters can contribute to poor indoor air quality and even higher energy costs.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
19 Jan. 2025
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The secret to finding the best vintage recipes is to seek out the dirtiest pages in a cookbook or recipe card collection, then peek at the creation.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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That faction left the stadium miserable after Daniels’ fifth touchdown pass, a 9-yarder to Jamison Crowder with six seconds remaining, capped a 22-point fourth quarter as Washington rallied for a 36-33 win.—
Ben Standig,
The Athletic,
16 Jan. 2025
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But for Israel and Gaza, the past 15 months have been a miserable failure, and from the perspective of negotiation, the only good news is that both sides taste some of the bitterness.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
16 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near pitiful
Cite this Entry
“Pitiful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pitiful. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
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