Dictionary
pitiful
adjective piti·ful \ˈpi-ti-fəl\
: deserving or causing feelings of pity or sympathy
: causing feelings of dislike or disgust by not being enough or not being good enough
Full Definition of PITIFUL
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>
— piti·ful·ly \-f(ə-)lē\ adverb
— piti·ful·ness \-fəl-nəs\ noun
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First Known Use of PITIFUL
14th century
Related to PITIFUL
- Synonyms
- contemptible, despicable, miserable, pathetic, pitiable, sad, sorry, wretched
- Antonyms
- decent, presentable, respectable
PITIFUL Defined for Kids
pitiful
adjective piti·ful \ˈpi-ti-fəl\
Definition of PITIFUL for Kids
1
: deserving or causing feelings of pity <a pitiful sight>
2
: deserving or causing a feeling of dislike or disgust by not being sufficient or good enough <a pitiful excuse>
— piti·ful·ly \-fə-lē, -flē\ adverb
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