pity

[ pit-ee ]

/ ˈpɪt i /

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See synonyms for: pity / pitied / pitying on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural pit·ies.

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.

a cause or reason for pity, sorrow, or regret: What a pity you could not go!

adjective

motivated by a sense of pity or sympathy for others or for oneself: It seems he got the pity vote because of his personality, but his singing just wasn’t that great.

verb (used with object), pit·ied, pit·y·ing.

to feel pity or compassion for; be sorry for; commiserate with.

verb (used without object), pit·ied, pit·y·ing.

to have compassion; feel pity.

OTHER WORDS FOR pity

1 commiseration, compassion.

See synonyms for pity on Thesaurus.com

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Idioms about pity

have / take pity, to show mercy or compassion.

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

synonym study for pity

1. See sympathy.

OTHER WORDS FROM pity

out·pit·y, verb (used with object), out·pit·ied, out·pit·y·ing.un·pit·ied, adjective

Words nearby pity

pituitary extract, pituitary gland, pituitous, pituri, pit viper, pity, pitying, pityriasis, pityroid, più, piupiu

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use pity in a sentence

I will, however, avoid the chance to wallow in self-pity because that’s not what this op-ed is about.
2021 is the year to dream big|Michael K. Lavers and Yariel Valdés González|December 31, 2020|Washington Blade
The Steelers might have pitied themselves a bit — and with reason.
Pittsburgh’s misshapen schedule has offered Washington a lucky break — and a chance|Thomas M. Boswell|December 3, 2020|Washington Post
The one time our culture is finally represented in the mainstream media, he said, it’s shown as “some kind of pity party needed for the main character to become less superficial.”
The real love interest in Netflix’s Operation Christmas Drop is the US military|Rachel Ramirez|November 23, 2020|Vox
A vaunted agency that was once the global gold standard of public health has, with breathtaking speed, become a target of anger, scorn and even pity.
Inside the Fall of the CDC|by James Bandler, Patricia Callahan, Sebastian Rotella and Kirsten Berg|October 15, 2020|ProPublica

Nope, though readers may occasionally see the tiniest justifiable pity-party because the backdrop of this book is about parenting a parent, which everybody knows is hard.
Learning to parent your parent|Terri Schlichenmeyer|August 21, 2020|Washington Blade
Lady Rose is also rather subdued in the premiere, which is a pity.
What Downton’s Fashion Really Means|Katie Baker|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It is not a pity party when you can stand up and say, “I am,” to be counted, reaffirmed, human.
I Was Gang Raped at a UVA Frat 30 Years Ago, and No One Did Anything|Liz Seccuro|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This is not a woman who wants pity, nor does she want money, or even an apology from Cosby.
Here’s What She’d Tell Bill Cosby Today|Dean Obeidallah|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Well, the dwarfs took pity on him and gave him the coffin, and the prince had it carried to his castle.
In New Brothers Grimm 'Snow White', The Prince Doesn't Save Her|The Brothers Grimm|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Yet even as the Germans wallowed in bitter self-pity, another defeated superpower underwent a dramatic turnaround.
The 20th-Century Dictator Most Idolized by Hitler|William O’Connor|November 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When she did this, and drooped the corners of her mouth, she was very engaging, and the young man tingled all over with pity.
Rosemary in Search of a Father|C. N. Williamson
If wealth were always thus employed, it were a pity that great fortunes are not more numerous.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
A girl was moved to pity by a picture of a lamb caught in a thicket, and tried to lift the branch that lay across the animal.
Children's Ways|James Sully
He come July six, for don't you mind how they called him Cevery out of pity and generosity for the Spayniards?
The Soldier of the Valley|Nelson Lloyd
If he would take her a little more seriously—it 's an immense pity he married her because she was silly!
Confidence|Henry James

British Dictionary definitions for pity

pity

/ (ˈpɪtɪ) /

noun plural pities

sympathy or sorrow felt for the sufferings of another

have pity on or take pity on to have sympathy or show mercy for

something that causes regret or pity

an unfortunate chancewhat a pity you can't come

more's the pity it is highly regrettable (that)

verb pities, pitying or pitied

(tr) to feel pity for

Derived forms of pity

pitying, adjectivepityingly, adverb

Word Origin for pity

C13: from Old French pité, from Latin pietās duty

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with pity

pity

see for one's (pity's) sake; take pity on.

pity

OTHER WORDS FOR pity

Idioms about pity

Origin of pity

synonym study for pity

OTHER WORDS FROM pity

Words nearby pity

Words related to pity

How to use pity in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for pity

Derived forms of pity

Word Origin for pity

Other Idioms and Phrases with pity