pitiful
adjective
piti·ful
ˈpi-ti-fəl 
1
archaic
: full of pity : compassionate
2
a
: deserving or arousing pity or commiseration
b
: exciting pitying contempt (as by meanness or inadequacy)
pitiful wages
Examples of pitiful in a Sentence
She made a pitiful attempt to complete her work.
that piece of junk is a pitiful excuse for a car
Recent Examples on the Web
Once Bernstein landed on broadcast television, in the mid-fifties, such guides looked pitiful.
—
David Denby, New Yorker, 20 July 2025
The real version of Dave is equal parts pitiful and menacing, seductive and unable to fully pass himself as a normal person.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 28 June 2025
My pansies are pitiful, the lavender is languishing and the salvia is suffering.
—Barbara Ellis, Denver Post, 7 July 2025
Something about this one note prompted even this pitiful creature to a risky gesture of mercy.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pitiful
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David Denby, New Yorker, 20 July 2025
The real version of Dave is equal parts pitiful and menacing, seductive and unable to fully pass himself as a normal person.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 28 June 2025
My pansies are pitiful, the lavender is languishing and the salvia is suffering.
—Barbara Ellis, Denver Post, 7 July 2025
Something about this one note prompted even this pitiful creature to a risky gesture of mercy.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pitiful
Cite this Entry
“Pitiful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pitiful. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pitiful
adjective
piti·ful
ˈpit-i-fəl
1
: deserving or arousing pity or sympathy
a pitiful mongrel
2
: deserving pitying scorn (as by not being adequate)
a pitiful excuse
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