pathetic

adjective

pa·​thet·​ic pə-ˈthe-tik How to pronounce pathetic (audio)
1
: having a capacity to move one to either compassionate or contemptuous pity
2
: marked by sorrow or melancholy : sad
3
: pitifully inferior or inadequate
the restaurant's pathetic service
4
: absurd, laughable
a pathetic costume
pathetical adjective
pathetically adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for pathetic

moving, impressive, poignant, affecting, touching, pathetic mean having the power to produce deep emotion.

moving may apply to any strong emotional effect including thrilling, agitating, saddening, or calling forth pity or sympathy.

a moving appeal for contributions

impressive implies compelling attention, admiration, wonder, or conviction.

an impressive list of achievements

poignant applies to what keenly or sharply affects one's sensitivities.

a poignant documentary on the homeless

affecting is close to moving but most often suggests pathos.

an affecting deathbed reunion

touching implies arousing tenderness or compassion.

the touching innocence in a child's eyes

pathetic implies moving to pity or sometimes contempt.

pathetic attempts to justify misconduct

Examples of pathetic in a Sentence

The spectacle seen in the theater of the news presented the American President as a failed suppliant instead of a conquering hero—an ailing and pathetic figure dismissed with the smile of pity and the gift of some sweet candies shaped as miniature sculptures of the President's two dogs. Lewis H. Lapham, Harper's, March 1992
They were brave, and bravely she served them a pathetic meal of nothing but limitless bowls of little potatoes boiled in their jackets … M. F. K. Fisher, With Bold Knife and Fork, 1969
Her face looked pale and extinguished, as if dimmed by the rich red of her dress. She struck Archer, of a sudden, as a pathetic and even pitiful figure. Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence, 1920
The blind, old dog was a pathetic sight. The team was pretty bad last year, but this year they're downright pathetic. The story he told was a pathetic attempt to cover up a lie. His car is a pathetic piece of junk.
Recent Examples on the Web But, being your boss’s sycophantic sidekick is arguably more questionable, if not pathetic (especially in the eyes of others). Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Jokes about lockdown masking, Biden’s age, the pathetic Democrats — and more masking. Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2024 Perhaps, as the culmination of a movie in which his character’s pathetic attempts to win his love fall flat, Ken will finally get his moment, seeing Barbie cheering from the stands. Ramin Setoodeh, Variety, 7 Feb. 2024 There is, for instance, the sad but whimsical image of Hank Prior waiting at the air strip, stuffed bunny in hand, for his non-existent Russian mail order bride to get off the plane and give his pathetic life meaning. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 5 Feb. 2024 Marty and Susie are pathetic for believing their interference with a small business constitutes righteous political engagement. TIME, 2 Feb. 2024 Akbar makes such stories simultaneously funny and piercing and pathetic. Mark Athitakis, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2024 Pick: Browns By 3 Eagles at Buccaneers (+3) The defending NFC champions are stumbling into the postseason after pathetic losses to the lowly Cardinals and Giants. Kevin Cusick, Twin Cities, 12 Jan. 2024 Scientists built a robotic dinosaur to terrify grasshoppers, all in hopes of understanding how truly pathetic wings could offer prehistoric animals an evolutionary advantage By Meghan Bartels In any group, not everyone can be a fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex or a majestic Triceratops. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 25 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pathetic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French pathetique "provoking emotion," borrowed from Late Latin pathēticus "affecting the emotions," borrowed from Greek pathētikós "capable of feeling, emotional, receptive, passive," from pathētós "subject to suffering, liable to external influence" (verbal adjective from the base path- "experience, undergo, suffer") + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at pathos

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pathetic was in 1591

Dictionary Entries Near pathetic

Cite this Entry

“Pathetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pathetic. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pathetic

adjective
pa·​thet·​ic pə-ˈthet-ik How to pronounce pathetic (audio)
: causing one to feel tenderness, pity, or sorrow
pathetically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on pathetic

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