Pathos

/ˈpeɪθɒs/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A quality that evokes pity or sadness.

The film's pathos was so compelling that the audience was brought to tears.

An appeal to the audience's emotions in rhetoric or literature.

The speaker used pathos to effectively connect with the crowd on a personal level.

The emotional weight or significance of a situation or work of art.

The painting captured the pathos of the human experience during wartime.

Greek pathos, meaning 'suffering' or 'emotion'

pathos of the situation

A reference to the emotional gravity or sadness encapsulated in a given situation.

appeal to pathos

A persuasive technique aimed at inciting emotions to sway an audience.

empathy

The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

sympathy

Feelings of pity and sorrow for someone's misfortune.

Overly dramatic expression of emotion.

That movie was full of pathos, it was almost cringe-worthy.

Sentimental appeal that feels exaggerated.

Her speech was so full of pathos, it felt like she was trying too hard to make us cry.