Adjective
- 1. hapless, miserable, misfortunate, pathetic, piteous, pitiable, pitiful, poor, wretched, unfortunate (vs. fortunate)
- usage: deserving or inciting pity; "a hapless victim"; "miserable victims of war"; "the shabby room struck her as extraordinarily pathetic"- Galsworthy; "piteous appeals for help"; "pitiable homeless children"; "a pitiful fate"; "Oh, you poor thing"; "his poor distorted limbs"; "a wretched life"
- 2. pathetic, pitiable, pitiful, contemptible (vs. estimable)
- usage: inspiring mixed contempt and pity; "their efforts were pathetic"; "pitiable lack of character"; "pitiful exhibition of cowardice"
- 3. pathetic, ridiculous, silly, undignified (vs. dignified)
- usage: inspiring scornful pity; "how silly an ardent and unsuccessful wooer can be especially if he is getting on in years"- Dashiell Hammett
WordNet 3.0 Copyright © 2006 by Princeton University.
All rights reserved.Definition and meaning of pathetic (Dictionary)