as in pitiful
deserving of one's pity
a piteous beggar huddled in the doorway of an abandoned building
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Recent Examples of piteous
The word integral seemed to me particularly poignant, piteous.
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Joyce Carol Oates, Harper's Magazine, 10 July 2023
Because the Grammys telecast draws generations of viewers, and because Grammy voters are drawn from a wide pool that skews older, what emerges on the show, and in the awards themselves, is a kind of piteous compromise that holds real innovation at bay.
—New York Times, 4 Apr. 2022
Later, Ivy interrogates Felix about having strayed dangerously from the straight-and-narrow, a confrontation that is agonizing to watch, as Mr. Torres’s performance gains in both piteous despair and angry ferocity.
—Charles Isherwood, WSJ, 17 Nov. 2022
In roaring luxury markets from Manhattan to San Francisco over the past few years, buyers were a piteous bunch.
—Katy McLaughlin, WSJ, 6 Mar. 2019
Joyce Carol Oates, Harper's Magazine, 10 July 2023
Because the Grammys telecast draws generations of viewers, and because Grammy voters are drawn from a wide pool that skews older, what emerges on the show, and in the awards themselves, is a kind of piteous compromise that holds real innovation at bay.
—New York Times, 4 Apr. 2022
Later, Ivy interrogates Felix about having strayed dangerously from the straight-and-narrow, a confrontation that is agonizing to watch, as Mr. Torres’s performance gains in both piteous despair and angry ferocity.
—Charles Isherwood, WSJ, 17 Nov. 2022
In roaring luxury markets from Manhattan to San Francisco over the past few years, buyers were a piteous bunch.
—Katy McLaughlin, WSJ, 6 Mar. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piteous
Adjective
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The Bucs gained 156 yards on 32 carries, with the Giants’ pitiful tackling paving the way to most of those yards.Dan Duggan, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024
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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
Adjective
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Tucker Carlson's Fox News replacement:Jesse Watters is perfectly pathetic These 3 Arizona spots were ranked among top US dive bars for food.Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 11 Dec. 2024
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The over is the obvious bet here given the pathetic state of both defenses.Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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So this poor kid [who finished in last], this single guy, for a year had to have a Fathead of his buddy in boxers, a giant life-size Fathead above his bed.Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 13 Dec. 2024
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The cub was also hairless and found in poor condition.Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Star Wars Outlaws Welcome to a wretched hive of scum and villainy.Richard Newby, TIME, 5 Dec. 2024
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That’s the shame of ruining what could have been the kind of win that happens once in a blue moon after a wretched first half when the offense totaled only two first downs and the Lions held a 16-0 lead and a 279-53 advantage in yardage.Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 29 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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But as is typical of City at the moment, there was another sudden collapse, this miserable run was extended, and Guardiola’s attempt to fix things failed spectacularly.Mark Critchley, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
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The storm’s sloppy mess of heavy rain and strong winds will make for treacherous travel and a miserable day in the Northeast’s major cities.Elisa Raffa, CNN, 10 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near piteous
Cite this Entry
“Piteous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piteous. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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