pitiful
gb/pˈɪtəfəl/ us/pˈɪtəfəl/
B2
영어
~ 6300
의미
의미 0개
adjective
B2
property
1
causing strong feelings of pity
So sad, weak, or poor that people feel very sorry when they see it.
사용 패턴：
a pitiful [person/cry/sight/state]
자주 하는 실수：
Learners often use "pitiful" about people when they only want to express sympathy. In modern English, calling a person "pitiful" can sometimes sound insulting, especially if it hints at weakness. To sound kinder, learners can use "sad", "unfortunate", or "in a bad situation" when talking about people.
유의어
pitiable (More formal and neutral; focuses on deserving pity without implying contempt.)
|
heartbreaking (Stronger and more emotional; emphasizes deep sadness rather than weakness.)
반의어
reassuring (Describes something that makes people feel safe or calm rather than feeling pity.)
|
comforting (Suggests giving emotional ease, the opposite of causing pity or distress.)
연어
a pitiful sight
|a pitiful cry
|a pitiful little [figure]
|pitiful condition(s)
|look pitiful
|sound pitiful
주제
emotions
|daily life
|society
|core_vocabulary
예문
- The abandoned puppy let out a pitiful whimper from the cardboard box.
- We found the family living in pitiful conditions after the flood, with almost no food or clean water.
- She gave a pitiful little smile, trying to be brave through her pain.
- The old man’s pitiful figure stood alone at the bus stop in the pouring rain.
- The charity showed photos of pitiful children who needed medical help.
학습자용 예문
- The dog looked so pitiful that we decided to take it home.
- He gave a pitiful cry when he hurt his leg.
- They lived in a pitiful house with holes in the roof.
- The small, wet bird on the ground was a pitiful sight.
- Her pitiful face made everyone feel sorry for her.
adjective
informal
C1
property
2
extremely small, weak, or bad
Very small, weak, or bad, so that you feel it is not good enough and almost shameful.
사용 패턴：
a pitiful [amount/performance/excuse]
자주 하는 실수：
Learners sometimes think "pitiful" only means "sad" or "unfortunate". In this sense, it is strongly negative and critical, close to "pathetic". Using it about a person or their effort can sound quite harsh or rude, so it should be used carefully.
유의어
pathetic (Very close in meaning and register; often slightly stronger and more common in everyday speech for this critical sense.)
|
miserable (Stresses how very poor in quality or amount something is; slightly less sharp and insulting than "pitiful" in some contexts.)
반의어
impressive (Suggests the exact opposite: something very good or strong instead of shamefully weak.)
|
adequate (Highlights being good enough, the opposite of being far too little or too poor.)
연어
a pitiful amount
|a pitiful excuse
|a pitiful performance
|pitiful wages
|pitiful effort
|pitiful attempt
주제
judgment
|quality
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
|communication
예문
- They offered us a pitiful amount of money for the car, so we refused.
- The team’s pitiful performance in the final shocked their fans.
- He makes a pitiful excuse every time he arrives late for work.
- Families are trying to survive on pitiful wages that barely cover rent.
- The company gave a pitiful response to the serious safety problems.
학습자용 예문
- The workers are paid a pitiful wage for long hours.
- We got a pitiful amount of food after waiting in line for an hour.
- Their first try at the show was pitiful, and the audience did not clap.
- That is a pitiful excuse for not doing your homework.
- The singer gave a pitiful performance and forgot many words.
adjective
literary
C1
property
3
showing pity or compassion
Feeling and showing pity and kindness to people who are suffering.
사용 패턴：
a pitiful [heart/character/nature]
자주 하는 실수：
This meaning is rare in modern speech and can be confused with the more common negative or sympathetic senses. Learners should normally use "compassionate" or "kind" instead of "pitiful" when they want to say someone shows pity.
유의어
compassionate (Neutral and more common today; clearly describes a caring, understanding attitude toward suffering.)
|
merciful (Stresses willingness to forgive or reduce punishment, especially when someone is suffering.)
반의어
pitiless (Direct morphological opposite; describes someone who shows no pity or mercy.)
|
hard-hearted (Informal; suggests a cold person who does not feel or show pity.)
연어
a pitiful heart
|a pitiful nature
|a pitiful spirit
주제
emotions
|character
|relationships
예문
- The queen was praised in the old tales as a pitiful ruler who cared for the poor.
- In the novel, his pitiful heart will not allow him to turn away the hungry child.
- They prayed that the judge would be pitiful and spare the young man’s life.
학습자용 예문
- The story tells of a pitiful king who helps the weak.
- Her pitiful nature makes her give money to every person in need.
- The villagers asked for a pitiful and kind leader.
문법
기본형
pitiful
IPA
GB/pˈɪtəfəl/
US/pˈɪtəfəl/
음절 및 강세
pi - ti - ful （3음절）
Stress on 1st syllable (pi)
활용형
Adjective
- Base: pitiful
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