Pitiable

/ˈpɪtiəbl/

adjective

Deserving or arousing pity.

Mary was in a pitiable condition after losing her job and her house in the same week.

Often appears as...

pitiable condition
pitiable state

Usage tips

Disapproving

adjective

Deserving or arousing pity.

Mary was in a pitiable condition after losing her job and her house in the same week.

Often appears as...

pitiable condition
pitiable state

Usage tips

Disapproving

Definition 1 of 1

Pro Tip 1/3

Deserving Sympathy

Use 'pitiable' to express that someone's situation is so sad it makes people want to help them.

The homeless man's pitiable appearance moved us to donate food and clothes.

Pro Tip 2/3

Not Always Weakness

'Pitiable' can describe a situation, showing empathy without suggesting that a person is weak.

Despite her pitiable circumstances, she remained determined and strong-willed.

Pro Tip 3/3

Negative Emotion

Although 'pitiable' involves empathy, it often carries a negative tone suggesting a person is in a bad condition.

The team's performance was so poor, it was deemed a pitiable display of skill.

Pro Tip 1/3

Deserving Sympathy

Use 'pitiable' to express that someone's situation is so sad it makes people want to help them.

The homeless man's pitiable appearance moved us to donate food and clothes.

Pro Tip 2/3

Not Always Weakness

'Pitiable' can describe a situation, showing empathy without suggesting that a person is weak.

Despite her pitiable circumstances, she remained determined and strong-willed.

Pro Tip 3/3

Negative Emotion

Although 'pitiable' involves empathy, it often carries a negative tone suggesting a person is in a bad condition.

The team's performance was so poor, it was deemed a pitiable display of skill.

Pro Tip 1/3

Deserving Sympathy

Use 'pitiable' to express that someone's situation is so sad it makes people want to help them.

The homeless man's pitiable appearance moved us to donate food and clothes.

Pro Tip 2/3

Not Always Weakness

'Pitiable' can describe a situation, showing empathy without suggesting that a person is weak.

Despite her pitiable circumstances, she remained determined and strong-willed.

Pro Tip 3/3

Negative Emotion

Although 'pitiable' involves empathy, it often carries a negative tone suggesting a person is in a bad condition.

The team's performance was so poor, it was deemed a pitiable display of skill.

Compare with

calamitousdeplorabledistressmiserablepatheticpitifulunfortunatewretch

Look up Compare with

Visual representation of the word "Pitiable"

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Video examples

On choosing to be gay PIPE...

clear in this idea that there's something wrong with choosing to be gay is the idea that it is not equal to be gay that in fact it is like a pitiable second-class status like oh poor her she

Video examples

Love, no matter what PIPE...

It is a pathetic little second-rate substitute for reality -- a pitiable flight from life. As such, it deserves no compassion, it deserves no treatment as minority martyrdom,

Video examples

On choosing to be gay PIPE...

clear in this idea that there's something wrong with choosing to be gay is the idea that it is not equal to be gay that in fact it is like a pitiable second-class status like oh poor her she

Video examples

Love, no matter what PIPE...

It is a pathetic little second-rate substitute for reality -- a pitiable flight from life. As such, it deserves no compassion, it deserves no treatment as minority martyrdom,

Example 1 of 2

Quote examples

Mary Shelley

English Author

But I am a blasted tree; the bolt has entered my soul; and I felt then that I should survive to exhibit what I shall soon cease to be - a miserable spectacle of wrecked humanity, pitiable to others and intolerable to myself.

Quote examples

Patrick Modiano

French Novelist

At the beginning, I experienced writing as a sort of constraint. Starting so young as a writer is pitiable: it's beyond your powers; you have to lay bare things that are very heavy, and you don't have the means for that.

Quote examples

Tom Junod

American Journalist

Now, I'm fully aware that there is only one figure more pitiable, more ludicrous, more inherently ridiculous than a bad singer who keeps on singing, and that's a bad singer who keeps on singing because he has issues.

Quote examples

Marie Antoinette

French Royalty

The king is full of kindnesses toward me, and I love him tenderly. But it is pitiable to see his weakness for Madame du Barri, who is the silliest and most impertinent creature that it is possible to conceive.

Quote examples

Toni Morrison

American Novelist

I always looked upon the acts of racist exclusion, or insult, as pitiable, from the other person. I never absorbed that. I always thought that there was something deficient about such people.

Quote examples

Christina Hoff Sommers

American Author

I think it's ill-advised to attribute pathologies to healthy people. It doesn't help normal, healthy, thriving children to be viewed as pitiable and fragile.

Quote examples

Cornelius Nepos

Roman Author

Hateful is the power, and pitiable is the life, of those who wish to be feared rather than loved.

Quote examples

Anthony Trollope

English Author

Poverty, to be picturesque, should be rural. Suburban misery is as hideous as it is pitiable.

Quote examples

Publilius Syrus

Roman Writer

You are in a pitiable condition if you have to conceal what you wish to tell.

Quote examples

Joni Mitchell

Canadian Musician

I'm not a pitiable creature. It's just that I suffer very eloquently.

Quote examples

Mary Shelley

English Author

But I am a blasted tree; the bolt has entered my soul; and I felt then that I should survive to exhibit what I shall soon cease to be - a miserable spectacle of wrecked humanity, pitiable to others and intolerable to myself.

Quote examples

Patrick Modiano

French Novelist

At the beginning, I experienced writing as a sort of constraint. Starting so young as a writer is pitiable: it's beyond your powers; you have to lay bare things that are very heavy, and you don't have the means for that.

Quote examples

Tom Junod

American Journalist

Now, I'm fully aware that there is only one figure more pitiable, more ludicrous, more inherently ridiculous than a bad singer who keeps on singing, and that's a bad singer who keeps on singing because he has issues.

Quote examples

Marie Antoinette

French Royalty

The king is full of kindnesses toward me, and I love him tenderly. But it is pitiable to see his weakness for Madame du Barri, who is the silliest and most impertinent creature that it is possible to conceive.

Quote examples

Toni Morrison

American Novelist

I always looked upon the acts of racist exclusion, or insult, as pitiable, from the other person. I never absorbed that. I always thought that there was something deficient about such people.

Quote examples

Christina Hoff Sommers

American Author

I think it's ill-advised to attribute pathologies to healthy people. It doesn't help normal, healthy, thriving children to be viewed as pitiable and fragile.

Quote examples

Cornelius Nepos

Roman Author

Hateful is the power, and pitiable is the life, of those who wish to be feared rather than loved.

Quote examples

Anthony Trollope

English Author

Poverty, to be picturesque, should be rural. Suburban misery is as hideous as it is pitiable.

Quote examples

Publilius Syrus

Roman Writer

You are in a pitiable condition if you have to conceal what you wish to tell.

Quote examples

Joni Mitchell

Canadian Musician

I'm not a pitiable creature. It's just that I suffer very eloquently.

Example 1 of 10

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