pa·thet·ic
Pronounced:
/pəˈθɛtɪk/
Function:
adjectiveMeaning:
[more pa*thet*ic; most pa*thet*ic] 1 : causing feelings of sadness and sympathy ▪ I could hear her pathetic [=pitiful] cries for help. ▪ The blind, old dog was a pathetic sight.
2 informal + disapproving : very bad, poor, weak, etc. ▪ 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. ▪ a pathetic excuse ▪ His car is a pathetic piece of junk.
—pa·thet·i·cal·ly /pəˈθɛtɪkli/ adverb ▪ The child cried pathetically.
/pəˈθɛtɪkli/ adverb ▪ The child cried pathetically.