pity
noun
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.
pitied
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past participleof pity.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof pity.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
pitynounsympathetic or kindly sorrow evoked by the suffering, distress, or misfortune of another, often leading one to give relief or aid or to show mercy.
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.
An essential part of respect is to not be pitied.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 21, 2025
His fans rolled with his excesses and pitied his life tragedies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2025
If I lived nearby, I could help out easily with prepared meals or some such, but I don’t want to make them uncomfortable or pitied by giving them cold hard cash.
From Slate ● Dec. 2, 2022
But the idea that Ukrainians are to be pitied is repugnant to him.
From New York Times ● Oct. 23, 2022
I pitied him, myself, my family, the rest of black South Africa.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
