1
as in pitiful
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
the sales presentation was a pitiable display of ineptitude and disorganization
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pathetic
deserving pitying scorn (as for inadequacy)
a pitiable attempt at singing that generated snickers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in poor
deserving of one's pity
a pitiable, starving old dog
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pitiable
What could have been just a mimicry of, say, Edward Norton in American History X becomes something distinctly pitiable and unnerving on its own terms, and Gosling chased the heights of this tormented-20-something performance for a long time, up until the next film on our list.
—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
Such a pitiable figure should pose no threat to the social order.
—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Women who died in childbirth, young men who died in war, infants who died before baptism—these especially pitiable dead were sometimes thought to become terrors whom the living would need to finish off once and for all.
—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
And Berchtold capably taps into the raw pain underneath Paul’s party-bro exterior, rendering him pitiable if not exactly likable.
—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pitiable
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
Such a pitiable figure should pose no threat to the social order.
—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Women who died in childbirth, young men who died in war, infants who died before baptism—these especially pitiable dead were sometimes thought to become terrors whom the living would need to finish off once and for all.
—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
And Berchtold capably taps into the raw pain underneath Paul’s party-bro exterior, rendering him pitiable if not exactly likable.
—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pitiable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pitiable
Adjective
-
Completing the hat trick in pitiful style, Taking on the World was shot on a shoestring budget, helmed by the man behind Highlander III, and forced to rely on stock footage of real-life footballers.
-
Given the national team’s pitiful demise at the Oval, with New Zealand completing victory on the fifth morning, Ben Stokes’ revival in absentia feels like the only consolation from a miserable week.
Adjective
-
Instagram Plus is social media’s newest low—a company preying on our most pathetic impulses, for the price of a small iced coffee.
-
After these first three majors — and after a pathetic showing this week at Shinnecock — there's no reason to bet against it.
Adjective
-
Because of that, these hands suffer from high production costs, poor durability against impacts, short operational lifespans, and there are no existing solutions that engineers can readily draw upon, Wang added.
-
The extreme heat can also affect people who are physically ill, especially those with heart disease or high blood pressure, or who take certain medications, such as for depression, insomnia, or poor circulation.
Adjective
-
Stronger and more flavorful than in your original lame iteration?
-
On paper, some of the six, all of whom are far-right conservatives, have enviable educational backgrounds, but the record has proven that each one is openly political and willing to rubber-stamp nearly all of DeSantis’ lame and unconstitutional policies.
Adjective
-
Day broke, bathing everything in light, and so great was the vitality of the early-morning sun that even the unhappy city seemed to smile a wan, sad smile.
-
But SpringHill really took off in 2020, two seasons into James’ Lakers term, when The SpringHill Company went public (and the Lakers won the sad COVID-bubble NBA Championship).
Adjective
-
Sixteen children from the same family who were rescued from a dilapidated home in rural Ohio were living in wretched conditions with human waste all around, confined to just one room over much of the past four years, authorities said.
-
The Giants, who went on to lose yesterday, are now 31-46, and the vibes are wretched.
Adjective
-
Microchips are relatively cheap and are required for every pet in Los Angeles County over 4 months old.
-
Prove Your Claims With Evidence In a market flooded with AI capabilities, claims are cheap, and every launch sounds the same.
Adjective
-
Remarkably, La Roja have failed to win a knockout round match in their last three World Cups, but expect Lamine Yamal and company to end that miserable run today.
-
But the American job market has chugged along, continuing to rebound from a miserable 2025.
Cite this Entry
“Pitiable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pitiable. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
