51Թ

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View synonyms for

pathetic

Rarely 貹·ٳ··

[puh-thet-ik]

adjective

  1. causing or evoking pity, sympathetic sadness, sorrow, etc.; pitiful; pitiable.

    Conditions at the refugee camp were far more pathetic than anything our training had prepared us for.

    Synonyms: , , ,
  2. Informal.miserably or contemptibly inadequate.

    In return for our investment we get a pathetic three percent interest. The carpenter we hired is pathetic.

  3. Archaic.pertaining to, caused by, or affecting the emotions.

    pathetic outbursts.

    Synonyms: , ,


pathetic

/ əˈθɛɪ /

adjective

  1. evoking or expressing pity, sympathy, etc

  2. distressingly inadequate

    the old man sat huddled in front of a pathetic fire

  3. informalludicrously or contemptibly uninteresting or worthless

    the standard of goalkeeping in amateur football today is pathetic

  4. obsoleteof or affecting the feelings

“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

plural noun

  1. pathetic sentiments

“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
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Other 51Թ Forms

  • pathetically adverb
  • patheticalness noun
  • hyperpathetic adjective
  • hyperpathetically adverb
  • quasi-pathetic adjective
  • quasi-pathetically adverb
  • unpathetic adjective
  • unpathetically adverb
  • 貹ˈٳپ adverb
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of pathetic1

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Middle French 貹ٳéپܱ or from Late Latin 貹ٳŧپܲ, from Greek 貹ٳŧپó “capable of emotion, impassioned, sensitive,” equivalent to 貹ٳŧ(ó) “subject to suffering; one who has suffered; subject to external influence or change; (in medicine) diseased” (derivative of á𾱲 “to suffer”) + -ikos adjective suffix; -ic
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of pathetic1

C16: from French 貹ٳéپܱ, via Late Latin from Greek pathetikos sensitive, from pathos suffering; see pathos
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Reform MP Lee Anderson said: "This Labour government blaming small boat crossings on the weather is like blaming the housing crisis on homebuilders - it's pathetic."

From

Shelley told BBC Spotlight she felt "lonely" and "pathetic" after being dropped off at the door of the Ulster Hospital psychiatric ward without her daughter, but said staff tried their best.

From

They were more like pathetic background extras, or bizarro-world inversions of the starving children from charity ads of bygone years: You can save Farmer Piet from white genocide, or you can turn the page.

From

Yet, he’s pathetic at maintaining order, pasting a misspelled sign on his police car that reads: Your being manipulated.

From

Today’s conservative convolutions are sometimes pathetic enough to make me almost sympathize with religious escapism.

From

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pathbreakingpathetic fallacy