pity
gb/pˈɪti/ us/pˈɪti/
A2
English
~ 2000
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
state
1
Feeling sad for someone's suffering
A feeling of sadness because someone is hurt, sick, or has problems.
Usage pattern:
to feel pity for [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'pity' with 'pitiful'; 'pitiful' describes something causing pity or deserving criticism, not the feeling itself.
Synonyms
compassion (Emphasizes sympathy and a desire to help, often more positive than 'pity'.)
|
sympathy (Focuses on sharing another's feelings, not necessarily implying superiority.)
Antonyms
indifference (Lack of concern or interest in someone's suffering.)
Collocations
feel pity
|deep pity
|express pity
|pity for
|full of pity
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|daily life
Examples
- She felt pity for the homeless man sitting in the cold.
- His eyes were full of pity when he heard her story.
- Out of pity, they gave the injured bird some food.
- I can’t help but feel pity for him after all he’s been through.
Learner examples
- I feel pity for the sick dog.
- She looked at me with pity.
- He has pity for poor people.
- They gave him food out of pity.
Noun
A2
entity
2
Something regrettable or unfortunate
Something that is sad or makes you wish it was different.
Usage pattern:
It's a pity (that) [clause]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with feeling pity for someone; here it means 'unfortunate', not 'feeling compassion'.
Synonyms
shame (Informal equivalent in this sense, expressing mild regret.)
Antonyms
relief (A positive feeling when something undesirable did not happen.)
Collocations
what a pity
|it's a pity
|such a pity
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- It’s a pity you couldn’t come to the party.
- What a pity that the museum is closed today.
- Such a pity we missed the beginning of the movie.
Learner examples
- It is a pity you are not here.
- What a pity the shop is closed.
- It is a pity we lost the game.
Verb
B1
action
3
To feel sad for someone's suffering
To feel sad because someone is hurt, sick, or has problems.
Usage pattern:
to pity [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'pity' as a verb with 'be pitied'; 'be pitied' means others feel pity for you.
Synonyms
feel sorry for (Informal equivalent, common in everyday speech.)
Antonyms
ignore (To deliberately not notice or care about someone's suffering.)
Collocations
pity someone
|pity the poor
|pity the weak
Themes
emotions
|relationships
Examples
- I pity anyone who has to work in those conditions.
- She pitied the abandoned puppy and took it home.
- They pitied him for losing his job.
Learner examples
- I pity the sick man.
- She pities her old neighbor.
- We pity the lost child.
Grammar
Dictionary form
pity
IPA
GB/pˈɪti/
US/pˈɪti/
Syllables & stress
pity (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (pity)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: pity
- Plural: pity
Verb
- Base: pity
- 3rd Person Singular: pities
- Present Participle: pitying
- Past: pitied
Word family
Expressions
more's the pity
1/mˈɔɹˌeɪz ðə pˈɪti/
fixed phrase
Sadly, that's how it is
Used to say you are sad something is true, even though nothing can change it.
Examples
- He won’t be joining us tonight, more’s the pity.
- They decided to cancel the project, more’s the pity.
take pity on someone
1/tˈeɪk pˈɪti ˈɔn sˈʌmwˌʌn/
fixed phrase
Show kindness due to someone's suffering
To help someone because they are in trouble or unhappy.
Examples
- She took pity on the stray cat and fed it.
- They took pity on him and gave him a place to stay.
what a pity
1/wˈʌt ə pˈɪti/
fixed phrase
Expression of regret or disappointment
Used to say that something is sad or makes you wish it was different.
Examples
- What a pity you missed the concert!
- It’s raining—what a pity, we wanted to go hiking.