pathetic
Americanadjective
-
causing or evoking pity, sympathetic sadness, sorrow, etc.; pitiful; pitiable.
Conditions at the refugee camp were far more pathetic than anything our training had prepared us for.
-
Informal. miserably or contemptibly inadequate.
In return for our investment we get a pathetic three percent interest. The carpenter we hired is pathetic.
-
Archaic. pertaining to, caused by, or affecting the emotions.
pathetic outbursts.
adjective
-
evoking or expressing pity, sympathy, etc
-
distressingly inadequate
the old man sat huddled in front of a pathetic fire
-
informal ludicrously or contemptibly uninteresting or worthless
the standard of goalkeeping in amateur football today is pathetic
-
obsolete of or affecting the feelings
plural noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pathetic
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Middle French pathétique or from Late Latin pathēticus, from Greek pathētikós “capable of emotion, impassioned, sensitive,” equivalent to pathēt(ós) “subject to suffering; one who has suffered; subject to external influence or change; (in medicine) diseased” (derivative of páschein “to suffer”) + -ikos adjective suffix; see -ic
Explanation
Something pathetic inspires pity and contempt. If your backhand is pathetic, you probably shouldn't try out for the tennis team. These days, when you see the word pathetic, it's pretty clear that it's no compliment. This is an insulting word for things that are so bad they bum you out. A sports team losing ten games in a row is pathetic. Someone who constantly lies, even though the lies are obvious, is pathetic. Trying to dunk a basketball and missing by three feet is pathetic. When something is astoundingly lame or awful, people love to say, "Wow. How pathetic."
Vocabulary lists containing pathetic
Common Senses: Path ("Feeling")
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Watsons Go to Birmingham
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Persepolis
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Not only is it pathetic; it’s downright—and we don’t use this word lightly—uncouth.
From Slate ● Oct. 3, 2026
"I've watched Manchester United since the age of five and that's the worst 15 minutes I've ever seen. Absolutely pathetic."
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
All this is symbolic of a man who is both pathetic and corrupt.
From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2026
"Don't you dare think the Australian fruits and ours are the same. Ignorance is pathetic," said one social media comment.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
The way he’s looking at me makes me feel more pathetic than ever.
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
