pity
Americannoun
-
sympathetic or kindly sorrow evoked by the suffering, distress, or misfortune of another, often leading one to give relief or aid or to show mercy.
to feel pity for a starving child.
- Synonyms:
- compassion, commiseration
-
a cause or reason for pity, sorrow, or regret.
What a pity you could not go!
adjective
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
idioms
noun
-
sympathy or sorrow felt for the sufferings of another
-
to have sympathy or show mercy for
-
something that causes regret or pity
-
an unfortunate chance
what a pity you can't come
-
it is highly regrettable (that)
verb
Synonym Usage
See sympathy .
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
has pitiedperfect 3rd person singular
-
have pitiedperfect
-
have been pityingperfect progressive
-
pitiessingular 3rd person
-
has been pityingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
is pityingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
pityingparticiple
-
am pityingprogressive 1st person singular
-
are pityingprogressive
Past
-
had pitiedperfect
-
were pityingprogressive plural
-
pitiedsimple
-
had been pityingperfect progressive
-
was pityingprogressive singular
-
pitiedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of pity
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English pite, from Old French pite, earlier pitet, from Latin pietāt- (stem of pietās “dutiful respect, sense of duty”); see origin at piety
Explanation
If you feel pity, you feel sympathy for someone else's suffering. A documentary on prisoners who have been wrongfully convicted might make you feel pity for them. Use pity as a noun or a verb. You feel pity for the really bad singer so you try to look attentive, but then you pity yourself for having to suffer through his terrible rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." We also say something is a pity if it's something to be sad about. It's a pity that your computer crashed right after you finished your paper.
Vocabulary lists containing pity
"Everyday Use" by Alice Walker
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"Fine?" Vocabulary from the short story
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"The People Could Fly," Vocabulary from the folk tale
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"It's a pity" China has missed out on every World Cup except 2002, he said, given football's popularity at home.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
The impracticality of his suggestions is a pity, because one might imagine a more plausible alternative to nation-states, which are indeed struggling today.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
It’s a medicated but functioning limbo that Peet, in one of her best roles, conveys without the slightest trace of pity but with a coursing, wryly emotional intelligence that always reveals the sadness fueling it.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
He said Pam "took pity" on him and brought him in with her entourage.
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
“None whatever, my chicken,” she said, and for the first time there was a hint of pity in her voice.
From "The Black Cauldron" by Lloyd Alexander
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
