piteous
adjective
evoking or deserving pity; pathetic.
piteousness
-
a word derived from
piteous.
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.
Ms. Rabe strikes notes of piteousness, pride and, movingly, steadfast love, when she says: “Adieu, my lord. I never wished to see you sorry; now I trust I shall.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
For those who mourn the dead — scribes like the Greek poet Simonides, who wrote epitaphs for fallen warriors — your voice must tremble with poignancy, with a certain piteousness.
From New York Times ● Sep. 26, 2019
Singing superbly and acting with intensity, Mr. Bielfield pitched his portrayal ideally between oddity and piteousness.
From New York Times ● Dec. 10, 2012
The piteousness of her fear stings sharply when we find Harry confined to a wheelchair after the disorienting interlude of the battlefront scene.
From New York Times ● Jul. 27, 2011
None of them pleaded for the prisoner, but still the woman wailed and moaned, and the children stood staring in dumb piteousness.
From Romance of California Life by John Habberton
