pity 1 of 2

noun

ˈpi-tē How to pronounce pity (audio)
Definition of pitynext
1
as in shame
a regrettable or blameworthy act it's a pity the woodchuck ate all the flowers after you put so much effort into the garden

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in sympathy
the capacity for feeling for another's unhappiness or misfortune a woman of boundless pity who tried to care for every abandoned animal she found

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pity

2 of 2

verb

as in to love
to have sympathy for I always pity the people who have to work in this freezing weather

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun pity contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of pity are commiseration, compassion, condolence, and sympathy. While all these words mean "the act or capacity for sharing the painful feelings of another," pity implies tender or sometimes slightly contemptuous sorrow for one in misery or distress.

felt pity for the captives

When is it sensible to use commiseration instead of pity?

The words commiseration and pity can be used in similar contexts, but commiseration suggests pity expressed outwardly in exclamations, tears, or words of comfort.

murmurs of commiseration filled the loser's headquarters

When can compassion be used instead of pity?

While in some cases nearly identical to pity, compassion implies pity coupled with an urgent desire to aid or to spare.

treats the homeless with great compassion

When might condolence be a better fit than pity?

The synonyms condolence and pity are sometimes interchangeable, but condolence applies chiefly to formal expression of grief to one who has suffered loss.

expressed their condolences to the widow

When could sympathy be used to replace pity?

In some situations, the words sympathy and pity are roughly equivalent. However, sympathy often suggests a tender concern but can also imply a power to enter into another's emotional experience of any sort.

went to my best friend for sympathy
in sympathy with her desire to locate her natural parents

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 pity
Noun
What a pity that the new Adichie — the defensive celebrity, the territorial feminist — seems no longer capable of writing such a book. — Sanjena Sathian, Vulture, 24 Feb. 2025 That is a pity especially at a time when so much of other government spending is under scrutiny. — Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
Verb
Gi-hun and Jun-ho’s simultaneous searches have been equally unsuccessful, and the people in their lives seem to pity them. — Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 26 Dec. 2024 Now the wife, who is 70 and a devotee of spas and facial rejuvenation, pities her fat husband. — Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 10 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for pity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pity
  1. shame
  2. sympathy
  3. love
  4. kindness
  5. compassion
  6. heart
  7. understand
Noun
  • Doing nothing is no longer an option for schools, teen says Around the country, as cases like Mani's continue to pop up, experts expect that shame prevents most victims from coming forward to flag abuses, suspecting that the problem is much more widespread than media reports suggest.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Moreover, the term body count itself carries a strong undercurrent of shame, particularly toward women.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of shame
Noun
  • Then another letter arrived — this one from my credit card company, offering sympathies to my wife.
    — Sachin H. Jain, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The sympathies of the characters waver or shift with every new rumor, and ours do the same as the truth is revealed in dribs and drabs via flashback.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of sympathy
Verb
  • Every drive brings back every loving memory and crazy moment growing up here.
    — Michael Nied, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • The small sliver of Skidmore students, whose campus is up the hill from downtown Saratoga, who are of drinking age will no doubt love this place.
    — Liza B. Zimmerman, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of love
Noun
  • Katherine deals with everything from sexism to ageism, while also having to learn a few lessons about kindness and work-life balance along the way.
    — James Mercadante, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Magazine, the actor, 55, said kindness is key in Hollywood.
    — Sharareh Drury, People.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Definition of kindness
Noun
  • As Hoque reminds us, transcending the AI temptation means intentionally guiding innovation with purpose, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to human dignity.
    — Dan Pontefract, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
  • The surprise announcement by military leaders who also head the unelected government came late Wednesday on state television MRTV, which said the halt in fighting would run until April 22 to show compassion for people affected by Friday's quake.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of compassion
Noun
  • With tech in one hand and heart in the other, Riri is forced to navigate a new kind of battle—one that challenges her intellect, her upbringing, and her purpose.
    — Okla Jones, Essence, 30 Mar. 2025
  • But against a champion like Djokovic, heart and head were not enough.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2025
Definition of heart
Verb
  • At least conceptually, the Giants understand that the leap from 3-14 to Super Bowl contender cannot be made in a year.
    — Howard Megdal, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
  • It was not understood that the artist, through rigorous pictorial research, was aiming to chart the history of the image of female genitalia in the history of art from the classical period onward.
    — Paola Ugolini, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2025
Definition of understand

Browse Nearby Words

pit vipers
pity
pitying
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Cite this Entry

“Pity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pity. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pity

Nglish: Translation of pity for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pity

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