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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pitiful
The result was a pitiful offensive performance by Kansas City and one of the worst games of Mahomes’ career.
—
Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 10 Feb. 2025
Who knew that banning books, paying teachers pitiful salaries and threatening them with jail if they were caught with salacious book titles would be the holy grail of student success?
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Feb. 2025
Who knew that banning books, paying teachers pitiful salaries and threatening them with jail if they were caught with salacious book titles would be the holy grail of student success.
—Letters To The Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2025
His second week has been pitiful, a reminder to all of his worst personal flaws.
—Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 1 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pitiful
Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 10 Feb. 2025
Who knew that banning books, paying teachers pitiful salaries and threatening them with jail if they were caught with salacious book titles would be the holy grail of student success?
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Feb. 2025
Who knew that banning books, paying teachers pitiful salaries and threatening them with jail if they were caught with salacious book titles would be the holy grail of student success.
—Letters To The Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2025
His second week has been pitiful, a reminder to all of his worst personal flaws.
—Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 1 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pitiful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pitiful
Adjective
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Michael Gandolfini pops up as a slimy Fisk mayoral staffer who wouldn’t look out of place in this magazine’s recent cover featuring the new young right, and his playing both pathetic and vaguely sympathetic is very fun to watch.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
4 Mar. 2025
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How to decide which of these pathetic characters will get his fading masculinity restored?—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
2 Mar. 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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But there is another concerning trend and area that has to be improved — their poor record on second balls.—
Rob Tanner,
The Athletic,
14 Mar. 2025
-
The county’s response to the Tijuana River sewage crisis has been very poor.—
Emily Alvarenga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Family members and two of his lawyers say he was diagnosed with severe PTSD, a sad and rapid fall that ended in another explosion of violence.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2025
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Staying true to its sad sierreño roots, Eslabon Armado delivered a 15-songs moody set that navigates different emotions from love, loss, nostalgia, and moving on.—
Jessica Roiz,
Billboard,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Read: The cost of avoiding microplastics In the mid-1990s, China emerged as the principal destination for used cups, straws, and the like; the country’s growing manufacturing sector was eager to make use of cheap, recycled raw plastic.—
Scott W. Stern,
The Atlantic,
10 Mar. 2025
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Seeds are also cheaper than purchasing young plants.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The latter culminated in an unceremonious exit with Denise bailing amid rumors of an affair with Brandi Glanville and some admittedly wretched mean-girl behavior from castmates Lisa Rinna and Kyle Richards (no relation).—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
4 Mar. 2025
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No decent person, let alone a political movement downstream of the biblical, Judeo-Christian tradition, as American conservatism necessarily is, should lift a finger to welcome such a wretched reprobate to our shores or shield him from justice.—
Newsweek,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Every Look from the 2025 Oscars Red Carpet By Vogue Based on Court of Honor, William P. Wood’s 1991 legal thriller, this Turner Network Television original movie finds Tom Selleck playing a municipal judge who pitches in to help with a government sting operation focused on nailing a dirty judge.—
Nell Beram,
Vogue,
8 Mar. 2025
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More likely, a veteran like Hill or Ford or any number of others — guys who have played a lot and know how to get the dirty work done — could fit.—
Parker Gabriel,
The Denver Post,
7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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And the fact that some people need to live miserable lives in order for other people to live these absolutely luxurious lives.—
Amiel Stanek,
Bon Appétit,
17 Mar. 2025
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Down the road, Reus is taking a lot of the heat for the LA Galaxy’s miserable start to the season, having failed so far to make up for the injury absence of Riqui Puig in central midfield.—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pitiful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pitiful. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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