Pitiful (Adjective)
Meaning 1
Deserving or inciting pity; "a hapless victim"; "miserable victims of war"; "the shabby room struck her as extraordinarily pathetic"- Galsworthy; "piteous appeals for help"; "pitiable homeless children"; "a pitiful fate"; "Oh, you poor thing"; "his poor distorted limbs"; "a wretched life".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Synonyms
Meaning 2
Bad; unfortunate; "my finances were in a deplorable state"; "a lamentable decision"; "her clothes were in sad shape"; "a sorry state of affairs".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Synonyms
Meaning 3
Inspiring mixed contempt and pity; "their efforts were pathetic"; "pitiable lack of character"; "pitiful exhibition of cowardice".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The once-respected politician's attempts to justify his scandals were pitiful, and only served to further erode the public's trust in him.
- The children's letters to the local newspaper about the condition of their neighborhood park were a pitiful reminder of the neglect and lack of resources in the community.
- Her excuse for missing the deadline was pitiful, and the project manager was clearly unconvinced by her reasoning.
- The condition of the animal shelter was pitiful, with cages overflowing and inadequate care for the animals.
- The crowd watched in silence as the performer's nervousness got the better of him, resulting in a pitiful rendition of the national anthem.