1
as in pitiful
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
the sales presentation was a pitiable display of ineptitude and disorganization
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pathetic
deserving pitying scorn (as for inadequacy)
a pitiable attempt at singing that generated snickers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in poor
deserving of one's pity
a pitiable, starving old dog
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of pitiable
In the sensitive hands of director Lila Neugebauer and her top-notch cast, these people are complicated and they’re blinkered, monstrous and pitiable, trying and failing, not individually hateful and collectively matured in a slow cooker of unexamined bias and malice.
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Sara Holdren, Vulture, 16 June 2024
What could have been just a mimicry of, say, Edward Norton in American History X becomes something distinctly pitiable and unnerving on its own terms, and Gosling chased the heights of this tormented-20-something performance for a long time, up until the next film on our list.
8.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 3 May 2024
The earnestness borders on pitiable — enough to warrant some modest reconsideration of the vision of one of America’s greatest visionaries.
—James Rosen, National Review, 21 Dec. 2023
Callas’s last years were tragic, or at least pitiable.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 29 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for pitiable 
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 16 June 2024
What could have been just a mimicry of, say, Edward Norton in American History X becomes something distinctly pitiable and unnerving on its own terms, and Gosling chased the heights of this tormented-20-something performance for a long time, up until the next film on our list.
8.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 3 May 2024
The earnestness borders on pitiable — enough to warrant some modest reconsideration of the vision of one of America’s greatest visionaries.
—James Rosen, National Review, 21 Dec. 2023
Callas’s last years were tragic, or at least pitiable.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 29 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for pitiable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pitiable
Adjective
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Perhaps this weekend can be a get-right game against the pitiful New York Jets, but there’s not much to be excited about.Fox News Staff, Fox News, 13 Nov. 2024
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Mercifully, Newcastle came up against a Leicester side whose setup under Ruud van Nistelrooy was as naive as their defensive performance was pitiful.Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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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
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The 10th pick will be your usual pathetic Bear player.Jon Greenberg, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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With sleep disorders affecting approximately 70 million Americans and poor sleep linked to serious health risks like heart disease, stroke and cognitive decline, the Tone Buds represent a significant advancement in personal sleep technology.Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 12 Jan. 2025
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Everybody connected to the death of this poor guy is dead now.Makena Gera, People.com, 12 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
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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
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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
Adjective
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Bummer enough the wretched weather here kept them from returning Sunday night.Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 6 Jan. 2025
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Last season the Red Sox blew 31 saves, second most in MLB behind only the wretched White Sox.Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 1 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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New England legislators and regulators consistently blocked building additional pipelines from the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and other regions in the U.S. and Canada, which could bring cheap, onshore natural gas to replace fuel oil.Ariel Cohen, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
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The 25-year-old is cheap, still a season away from salary arbitration eligibility, also plays the corner outfield spots, and won’t be a free agent until after the 2028 season.Brendan Kuty, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Thesaurus Entries Near pitiable
Cite this Entry
“Pitiable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pitiable. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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