adjective
Making you feel sorry for someone because they are suffering or in a very poor condition.
The injured dog looked pitiful.
It was a pitiful sight.
Common phrases & grammar
a pitiful sight · a pitiful condition
a pitiful + noun
be + pitiful
American English
How to pronounce pitiful
adjectiveB2
PIHduhfl
/ˈpʰɪ.ɾə.fl̩/
3 syllables · Stress the first syllable.
Making you feel sorry for someone because they are suffering or in a very poor condition.
What to listen for
In pitiful, the middle syllable is short and unstressed: /ˈpʰɪ.ɾə.fl̩/. In natural speech, it may sound closer to /ˈpʰɪ.ɾɪ.fl̩/, but do not stress that middle syllable.
Meanings & examples
adjective
So small, weak, or bad that it is not good enough and deserves criticism.
They offered her a pitiful salary.
The team made a pitiful attempt to win.
Good to know
This meaning shows strong criticism, not sympathy.
Common phrases & grammar
a pitiful excuse · a pitiful amount
a pitiful + noun
be + pitiful