pathos
gb/pˈeɪθɑs/ us/pˈeɪθɑs/
C1
English
~ 27500
Senses
0 senses
Noun
formal
C1
property
1
quality that evokes sadness or pity
A strong feeling of sadness or pity that a story, picture, or situation makes you feel.
Usage pattern:
the pathos of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'pathos' simply means 'sadness'. In fact, it is the quality in a story, picture, or situation that makes people feel sadness or pity. Another common mistake is using it as an adjective (e.g. *'a pathos story'*); the correct adjective is 'pathetic' or 'poignant', while 'pathos' is a noun. Learners may also confuse it with the everyday word 'path', which is unrelated.
Synonyms
poignancy (Very close in meaning; slightly more common and can cover both sadness and touching beauty.)
|
sadness (A more general, everyday word for the feeling itself, not specifically the quality that produces it.)
|
melancholy (Suggests a deep, quiet sadness; often about mood rather than an artistic effect.)
|
poignance (Variant of 'poignancy'; slightly less common but similar in meaning to 'pathos'.)
Antonyms
cheerfulness (Suggests a light, happy mood, the opposite of a sad and moving quality.)
|
comedy (Refers to works that aim to amuse and make people laugh rather than move them to sadness or pity.)
Collocations
a sense of pathos
|full of pathos
|a touch of pathos
|the pathos of [his/her/their] situation
|pathos and humor
|pathos and irony
Themes
emotions
|art
|literature
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- The film’s quiet pathos comes from the small moments between father and son.
- There is a real pathos in her voice when she talks about her childhood.
- The photographer captured the pathos of life in the refugee camp.
- The play mixes sharp comedy with deep pathos to powerful effect.
- Even the old, broken toys in the attic had a certain pathos.
Learner examples
- The book has great pathos and made me cry.
- We could feel the pathos of the lonely old man.
- The pathos of the story touched everyone in the room.
- The artist shows the pathos of war in her paintings.
Noun
technical
C2
relation
2
emotional appeal in rhetoric
In speaking or writing, a way to persuade people by making them feel strong emotions instead of just giving facts.
Usage pattern:
use pathos to [do something]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this rhetorical meaning with the more general emotional quality meaning and think it always involves sadness. In rhetoric, pathos can involve many emotions, such as fear, anger, or hope. Some learners also mix up 'pathos' with 'ethos' (credibility) and 'logos' (logic) when first learning rhetorical terms.
Synonyms
emotional appeal (Plain descriptive phrase often used in non-technical contexts instead of the term 'pathos'.)
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emotive rhetoric (Highlights language that deliberately stirs feelings, sometimes with a slightly critical tone.)
Antonyms
logical argument (Focuses on reasoning and evidence rather than on emotional impact.)
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rational appeal (Stresses appeals to the audience’s reason, contrasting with emotional persuasion.)
Collocations
ethos, pathos, and logos
|use pathos
|appeal to pathos
|strong pathos
|emotional pathos
Themes
language
|education
|politics
|emotions
|communication
Examples
- The speaker relied heavily on pathos, telling personal stories to move the audience.
- In classical rhetoric, pathos works together with ethos and logos to shape effective persuasion.
- The advertisement uses pathos by showing sad images of injured animals.
- His essay lacks data and leans too much on pathos to make its case.
- Political campaigns often use pathos to motivate people to vote.
Learner examples
- The teacher explained that pathos is a way to touch people’s hearts.
- Good speakers mix facts with pathos to persuade the audience.
- The speech used pathos when it talked about families losing their homes.
- In my essay, I tried to use less pathos and more facts.
Grammar
Dictionary form
pathos
IPA
GB/pˈeɪθɑs/
US/pˈeɪθɑs/
Syllables & stress
pathos (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (pathos)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: pathos
- Plural: pathos
Word family
Core family
pathetic
adjective B1
pathetically
adverb
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
apathy
noun
apathetic
adjective
unsympathetic
adjective
Advanced or less common
Expressions
a sense of pathos
1/ə sˈɛns əv pˈeɪθɑs/
fixed phrase
formal
noticeable, moving sadness-causing quality
A clear feeling that a situation or story has a strong, sad, and moving quality.
Examples
- There is a sense of pathos in the way the film shows the old couple saying goodbye.
- The abandoned playground gives the photograph a sense of pathos.
full of pathos
1/fˈʊl əv pˈeɪθɑs/
fixed phrase
formal
having a lot of pathos
Having a very strong sad and moving quality.
Examples
- Her performance as the grieving mother is full of pathos.
- The final chapter is full of pathos and leaves a lasting impression.
pathos and humor
1/pˈeɪθɑs ˈænd hjˈumɚ/
fixed phrase
formal
mix of sad and funny qualities
A combination of a sad, moving feeling and funny moments in the same work or situation.
Examples
- The novel balances pathos and humor to show the ups and downs of family life.
- The film’s director is famous for mixing pathos and humor in his stories.