What makes someone pitiful?

adjective. Someone or something that is pitiful is so sad, weak, or small that you feel pity for them. He sounded both pitiful and eager to get what he wanted. Synonyms: pathetic, distressing, miserable, harrowing More Synonyms of pitiful. pitifully adverb.

Is pity pitiful?

1, 2. Pitiful, pitiable, piteous apply to that which excites pity (with compassion or with contempt). That which is pitiful is touching and excites pity or is mean and contemptible: a pitiful leper; a pitiful exhibition of cowardice. Pitiable may mean lamentable, or wretched and paltry: a pitiable hovel.

What does pitiful enough?

2 : deserving or causing a feeling of dislike or disgust by not being sufficient or good enough a pitiful excuse. Other Words from pitiful. pitifully \ -​fə-​lē , -​flē \ adverb. More from Merriam-Webster on pitiful.

What do you call a pitiful person?

1 deplorable, distressing, grievous, harrowing, heartbreaking, heart-rending, lamentable, miserable, pathetic, piteous, pitiable, sad, woeful, wretched. 2 abject, base, beggarly, contemptible, despicable, dismal, inadequate, insignificant, low, mean, measly, miserable, paltry, scurvy, shabby, sorry, vile, worthless.

What does it mean to be woeful?

Definition of woeful 1 : full of woe : grievous woeful prophecies. 2 : involving or bringing woe. 3 : lamentably bad or serious : deplorable woeful ignorance.

What does being pitiful mean?

English Language Learners Definition of pitiful : deserving or causing feelings of pity or sympathy. : causing feelings of dislike or disgust by not being enough or not being good enough. See the full definition for pitiful in the English Language Learners Dictionary. pitiful. adjective.

Does pitiful mean pathetic?

Pitiful means pathetic. If you don’t even study for your test, you’re making a pretty pitiful effort to do well.

Is Pitiful a negative word?

Now these words pitiful, sorry and pathetic can also have quite a negative meaning. They can be used to mean a feeling of pity but mixed with contempt or disgust for the lack of skill or care or attention that’s caused the situation.

Does woeful mean sad?

Something woeful is full of sadness, like the woeful little boy who can’t find the stuffed bunny he needs to fall asleep. Use the adjective woeful for people or things affected by misery or sorrow. Woeful comes from woe, “great sorrow,” and its source, the Old English interjection wa.

What’s meaning of pitiful?

Definition of pitiful 1 archaic : full of pity : compassionate. 2a : deserving or arousing pity or commiseration. b : exciting pitying contempt (as by meanness or inadequacy) pitiful wages.