Pitiful
adjective
Deserving or arousing pity.
The homeless man looked pitiful.
Often appears as...
- pitiful sight
- pitiful look
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Very small or poor - used to show disapproval.
This is a pitiful amount of food for a family of five.
Often appears as...
- pitiful amount
- pitiful excuse
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Deserving or arousing pity.
The homeless man looked pitiful.
Often appears as...
- pitiful sight
- pitiful look
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Very small or poor - used to show disapproval.
This is a pitiful amount of food for a family of five.
Often appears as...
- pitiful amount
- pitiful excuse
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Charge
'Pitiful' often carries a strong emotional weight and suggests empathy or sympathy from the speaker.
The child's pitiful wailing after losing her toy made everyone in the room sad.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Negative
Although commonly negative, 'pitiful' can be neutral when referring to something that merely invokes pity.
Her voice was so pitiful that I gave her the last piece of my cake.
Pro Tip 3/3Enhancing Descriptors
Use with additional descriptors to emphasize the extent of pity, such as 'truly pitiful' or 'somewhat pitiful.'
The injured puppy’s truly pitiful limping prompted passersby to help.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Charge
'Pitiful' often carries a strong emotional weight and suggests empathy or sympathy from the speaker.
The child's pitiful wailing after losing her toy made everyone in the room sad.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Negative
Although commonly negative, 'pitiful' can be neutral when referring to something that merely invokes pity.
Her voice was so pitiful that I gave her the last piece of my cake.
Pro Tip 3/3Enhancing Descriptors
Use with additional descriptors to emphasize the extent of pity, such as 'truly pitiful' or 'somewhat pitiful.'
The injured puppy’s truly pitiful limping prompted passersby to help.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Charge
'Pitiful' often carries a strong emotional weight and suggests empathy or sympathy from the speaker.
The child's pitiful wailing after losing her toy made everyone in the room sad.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Negative
Although commonly negative, 'pitiful' can be neutral when referring to something that merely invokes pity.
Her voice was so pitiful that I gave her the last piece of my cake.
Pro Tip 3/3Enhancing Descriptors
Use with additional descriptors to emphasize the extent of pity, such as 'truly pitiful' or 'somewhat pitiful.'
The injured puppy’s truly pitiful limping prompted passersby to help.
Compare with
deplorabledistressheartbreaklamentablemiserablepatheticpitiablewoefulwretch
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Video examples
A roadmap to end aging PIPE...
because the things that are causing the pathology are becoming more abundant as time goes on. The gerontology approach looks much more promising on the surface, because, you know, prevention is better than cure. But unfortunately the thing is that we don't understand metabolism very well. In fact, we have a pitifully poor understanding of how organisms work --
Video examples
The difference between...
If I see it in a game, you're going to come out and sit on the bench. And the third one was, never criticize a teammate. I didn't want that. I used to tell them I was paid to do that. That's my job. I'm paid to do it. Pitifully poor, but I am paid to do it. Not like the coaches today, for gracious sakes, no. It's a little different than it was in my day.
Video examples
True success - John...
to profanity and you you out of here for the day if I see it in a game you're going to come out and sit on the bench and the third one was never criticize a teammate I didn't want that I used tell him I was paid to do that that's my job I'm paid to do it pitifully poor but I am paid to do not like the coaches today
Video examples
Why Can't We See...
the seeds of its own destruction through the inability to control the technologies it creates. But there are numerous more hopeful answers. For a start, we're not looking that hard, and we're spending a pitiful amount of money on it. Only a tiny fraction of the stars in our galaxy
Video examples
What your designs say...
whatever we do or refrain from doing whatever we put out there as a piece of design into the world has a persuasive component it tries to affect people it puts a certain vision of the good life out there in front of us which is what pitiful for bakthi Dutch philosopher of
Video examples
Simple hacks for life...
he literally had to take one step at a time, like this, and it took forever. So this person, who used to be the center of attention in every family gathering, was suddenly hiding behind people. He was hiding from the pitiful look in people's eyes.
Video examples
How to get a word added...
and the way he defined them. He excluded slang words from Black communities because he didn’t consider them proper. And when he defined “woman,” he added that “women are soft, mild, pitiful, and flexible.”
Video examples
Can we create new senses...
Everything is about smell for you. So one day, you stop in your tracks with a revelation. You look at your human owner and you think, "What is it like to have the pitiful, impoverished nose of a human?
Video examples
Questions No One Knows...
through the inability to control the technologies it creates. But there are numerous more hopeful answers. For a start, we're not looking that hard, and we're spending a pitiful amount of money on it.
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 174 PIPE...
pitiful and you can imagine how the
Video examples
A roadmap to end aging PIPE...
because the things that are causing the pathology are becoming more abundant as time goes on. The gerontology approach looks much more promising on the surface, because, you know, prevention is better than cure. But unfortunately the thing is that we don't understand metabolism very well. In fact, we have a pitifully poor understanding of how organisms work --
Video examples
The difference between...
If I see it in a game, you're going to come out and sit on the bench. And the third one was, never criticize a teammate. I didn't want that. I used to tell them I was paid to do that. That's my job. I'm paid to do it. Pitifully poor, but I am paid to do it. Not like the coaches today, for gracious sakes, no. It's a little different than it was in my day.
Video examples
True success - John...
to profanity and you you out of here for the day if I see it in a game you're going to come out and sit on the bench and the third one was never criticize a teammate I didn't want that I used tell him I was paid to do that that's my job I'm paid to do it pitifully poor but I am paid to do not like the coaches today
Video examples
Why Can't We See...
the seeds of its own destruction through the inability to control the technologies it creates. But there are numerous more hopeful answers. For a start, we're not looking that hard, and we're spending a pitiful amount of money on it. Only a tiny fraction of the stars in our galaxy
Video examples
What your designs say...
whatever we do or refrain from doing whatever we put out there as a piece of design into the world has a persuasive component it tries to affect people it puts a certain vision of the good life out there in front of us which is what pitiful for bakthi Dutch philosopher of
Video examples
Simple hacks for life...
he literally had to take one step at a time, like this, and it took forever. So this person, who used to be the center of attention in every family gathering, was suddenly hiding behind people. He was hiding from the pitiful look in people's eyes.
Video examples
How to get a word added...
and the way he defined them. He excluded slang words from Black communities because he didn’t consider them proper. And when he defined “woman,” he added that “women are soft, mild, pitiful, and flexible.”
Video examples
Can we create new senses...
Everything is about smell for you. So one day, you stop in your tracks with a revelation. You look at your human owner and you think, "What is it like to have the pitiful, impoverished nose of a human?
Video examples
Questions No One Knows...
through the inability to control the technologies it creates. But there are numerous more hopeful answers. For a start, we're not looking that hard, and we're spending a pitiful amount of money on it.
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 174 PIPE...
pitiful and you can imagine how the
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Chris Lowell
American Actor
I am just pitifully nostalgic. I can't help but roll my eyes at myself frequently. I mean, I still shoot black-and-white film. And I am constantly reminiscing about the 'good old days.' I'm 28 years old. There haven't even been that many 'good old days.' But still, I love to look back.
Quote examples
Black Elk
Leader
But I think I have done right to save the vision in this way, even though I may die sooner because I did it; for I know the meaning of the vision is wise and beautiful and good; and you can see that I am only a pitiful old man after all.
Quote examples
Ahmed Ben Bella
Algerian Politician
I think that they participated in something that was not very proper and was very pitiful, not only for the Algerian people, but also for the other people who counted on our support.
Quote examples
Benjamin Clementine
English Artist
People want a beautiful story. Hopefully my life story is still beautiful, but that metro stuff doesn't make it much more pitiful.
Quote examples
Maya Angelou
American Poet
There is nothing so pitiful as a young cynic because he has gone from knowing nothing to believing nothing.
Quote examples
J. Paul Getty
American Businessman
The beauty one can find in art is one of the pitifully few real and lasting products of human endeavor.
Quote examples
Eric Liu
American Writer
Today, public understanding of our past and our system of government is pitifully low.
Quote examples
Tim O'Brien
American Author
Love, as wonderful and horrible as it is, has at its center a kind of pitiful humor.
Quote examples
Khalil Gibran
Lebanese Poet
The most pitiful among men is he who turns his dreams into silver and gold.
Quote examples
Dolly Parton
American Singer
I've been to those places where it's 'poor, pitiful me.
Quote examples
Chris Lowell
American Actor
I am just pitifully nostalgic. I can't help but roll my eyes at myself frequently. I mean, I still shoot black-and-white film. And I am constantly reminiscing about the 'good old days.' I'm 28 years old. There haven't even been that many 'good old days.' But still, I love to look back.
Quote examples
Black Elk
Leader
But I think I have done right to save the vision in this way, even though I may die sooner because I did it; for I know the meaning of the vision is wise and beautiful and good; and you can see that I am only a pitiful old man after all.
Quote examples
Ahmed Ben Bella
Algerian Politician
I think that they participated in something that was not very proper and was very pitiful, not only for the Algerian people, but also for the other people who counted on our support.
Quote examples
Benjamin Clementine
English Artist
People want a beautiful story. Hopefully my life story is still beautiful, but that metro stuff doesn't make it much more pitiful.
Quote examples
Maya Angelou
American Poet
There is nothing so pitiful as a young cynic because he has gone from knowing nothing to believing nothing.
Quote examples
J. Paul Getty
American Businessman
The beauty one can find in art is one of the pitifully few real and lasting products of human endeavor.
Quote examples
Eric Liu
American Writer
Today, public understanding of our past and our system of government is pitifully low.
Quote examples
Tim O'Brien
American Author
Love, as wonderful and horrible as it is, has at its center a kind of pitiful humor.
Quote examples
Khalil Gibran
Lebanese Poet
The most pitiful among men is he who turns his dreams into silver and gold.
Quote examples
Dolly Parton
American Singer
I've been to those places where it's 'poor, pitiful me.
Example 1 of 10
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