pitiful
adjective
evoking or deserving pity.
pitifully
-
a word derived from
pitiful.
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.
Food is pitifully scarce, often no more than a single dry pita per person per day.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2025
Turgid midtempo rock with a lyric that defines soul rather pitifully as “knowing what someone is feeling.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2025
To describe the plot — a dog and a robot are best friends, until they aren’t — the film sounds pitifully small.
From New York Times ● May 30, 2024
“We played pitifully tonight, but when I say we played pitifully, I don’t want to take something away from BYU,” Kansas coach Bill Self said.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 27, 2024
“I have spent it all,” he said pitifully.
From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya
