CEFR B2

pitiful

adjective

Meaning

Evoking or deserving feelings of sorrow, sympathy, or contempt due to a state of inadequacy, suffering, or smallness.

Examples

The team made a pitiful attempt to win the game, scoring zero points in the final hour.
She lived in a pitiful state of poverty, with barely enough food to survive the winter.

Synonyms: sad, pathetic, miserable, lamentable

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pitiful (B2)

adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈpɪtɪfʊl/

Definition

Evoking or deserving feelings of sorrow, sympathy, or contempt due to a state of inadequacy, suffering, or smallness.

Examples

The team made a pitiful attempt to win the game, scoring zero points in the final hour.
She lived in a pitiful state of poverty, with barely enough food to survive the winter.
His excuse for being late was so pitiful that even his boss couldn't help but laugh.

Synonyms of pitiful

Words with a similar meaning to pitiful:

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