Meaning & Definition of word "Pitiful"

Pitiful

/ˈpɪtɪfəl/

1. Deserving or arousing pity; sad, pathetic.
- Example: The abandoned puppy looked so pitiful that everyone passed by felt compelled to help.
2. Inferior or inadequate; worthy of scorn.
- Example: His pitiful attempt at humor fell flat, leaving the audience in silence.
3. Lamentably inadequate or insufficient.
- Example: The pitiful results of his effort did not meet the standards he had set for himself.

From Middle English pitifull, from Old French pitéf (same meaning), from Latin pietas 'piety, compassion'.

pitiful excuse:

An inadequate or feeble attempt to justify something.

pitifully small:

Describing something that is insignificantly small.

a pitiful state:

Indicating a situation that evokes sympathy due to its poor condition.

pity:

The feeling of sorrow and compassion for someone else's misfortune.

mercy:

Compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.

commiserate:

To express or feel sympathy or pity.

Meaning: Sad or pathetic situation.

Example Sentence: Watching him play alone was just pitiful.

Meaning: Feeling sorry for someone in a mocking manner.

Example Sentence: She looked at his attempts to cook and said, 'How pitiful!'.