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
As pathetic and pitiable as Gloria is, Blethyn runs away with the whole movie.
—
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2024
The Unauthorized Public Camping and Public Sleeping Act adds Florida’s most pitiable demographic to the menu.
—Fred Grimm, Sun Sentinel, 15 Mar. 2024
Chavez plays Lyle as the clearly dominant older brother with little remorse, while Koch's younger, more vulnerable Erik is doe-like and pitiable.
—Lucy Ford, TIME, 24 Sep. 2024
In the sensitive hands of director Lila Neugebauer and her top-notch cast, these people are complicated and they’re blinkered, monstrous and pitiable, trying and failing, not individually hateful and collectively matured in a slow cooker of unexamined bias and malice.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 16 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for pitiable
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2024
The Unauthorized Public Camping and Public Sleeping Act adds Florida’s most pitiable demographic to the menu.
—Fred Grimm, Sun Sentinel, 15 Mar. 2024
Chavez plays Lyle as the clearly dominant older brother with little remorse, while Koch's younger, more vulnerable Erik is doe-like and pitiable.
—Lucy Ford, TIME, 24 Sep. 2024
In the sensitive hands of director Lila Neugebauer and her top-notch cast, these people are complicated and they’re blinkered, monstrous and pitiable, trying and failing, not individually hateful and collectively matured in a slow cooker of unexamined bias and malice.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 16 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for pitiable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pitiable
Adjective
-
But the modern Democratic Party, rudderless and confused and reeling from a pitiful collective performance during Tuesday evening's presidential joint address to Congress, now confronts a fork in the road that's no joke.—
Newsweek,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
-
My performance was beyond pitiful today, and has been for a while now.—
Ryan Morik,
Fox News,
3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Michael Gandolfini pops up as a slimy Fisk mayoral staffer who wouldn’t look out of place in this magazine’s recent cover featuring the new young right, and his playing both pathetic and vaguely sympathetic is very fun to watch.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
4 Mar. 2025
-
How to decide which of these pathetic characters will get his fading masculinity restored?—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
But there is another concerning trend and area that has to be improved — their poor record on second balls.—
Rob Tanner,
The Athletic,
14 Mar. 2025
-
The county’s response to the Tijuana River sewage crisis has been very poor.—
Emily Alvarenga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
As holidays go, however, Flag Day can feel a bit lame.—
Kevin Fisher-Paulson,
San Francisco Chronicle,
8 June 2021
-
My 11-year-old loved watching the pups roll balls and play a giant floor piano, but for non-dog owners (guilty as charged), parts of the series—like dressing dogs in little hats and outfits for a Parisian fashion show—feel lame.—
Tim Neville,
Outside Online,
23 Nov. 2020
Adjective
-
Family members and two of his lawyers say he was diagnosed with severe PTSD, a sad and rapid fall that ended in another explosion of violence.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2025
-
Their eggs failed to hatch in 2023 and 2024, leaving many internet followers sad.—
Amanda Kooser,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The latter culminated in an unceremonious exit with Denise bailing amid rumors of an affair with Brandi Glanville and some admittedly wretched mean-girl behavior from castmates Lisa Rinna and Kyle Richards (no relation).—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
4 Mar. 2025
-
No decent person, let alone a political movement downstream of the biblical, Judeo-Christian tradition, as American conservatism necessarily is, should lift a finger to welcome such a wretched reprobate to our shores or shield him from justice.—
Newsweek,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Being cheap is completely foolish and a lot of people make that mistake.—
Paige Reddinger,
Robb Report,
22 Mar. 2025
-
Replacement filters are cheap and the reservoir holds 2.4 liters.—
Louryn Strampe,
WIRED,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
And the fact that some people need to live miserable lives in order for other people to live these absolutely luxurious lives.—
Amiel Stanek,
Bon Appétit,
17 Mar. 2025
-
Down the road, Reus is taking a lot of the heat for the LA Galaxy’s miserable start to the season, having failed so far to make up for the injury absence of Riqui Puig in central midfield.—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pitiable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pitiable. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share