pity
PIHT-ee
Pity (noun) means a feeling of sorrow or sympathy for someone else's suffering. Example: “I felt pity for the lost child crying at the station.”
noun
1
A feeling of sorrow or sympathy for someone else's suffering.
"I felt pity for the lost child crying at the station."
"She felt a deep pity for the stray dog shivering in the rain."
"He showed no pity for the men who had cheated him."
2
A regrettable or disappointing fact.
"What a pity the match was cancelled because of the rain!"
"It would be a pity to waste such a lovely day indoors."
"It's a pity you can't stay for dinner."
verb
1
To feel sorrow or sympathy for someone.
"We pity the poor goalkeeper who let in so many goals."
"I pity anyone who has to work with him."
"She pitied the new employee, thrown in at the deep end on day one."
How to use pity
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFeeling sorry for someone, or a sad, disappointing situation ("what a pity").
Common mistake
"Pity" (feeling sorry for someone, sometimes with a hint of looking down on them) is close to but not identical to "sympathy" or "compassion," which carry less condescension.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
feel pity for
take pity on
what a pity
out of pity
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Word forms
- Plural
- pities
- Third person singular
- pities
- Past tense
- pitied
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
I felt _____ for the lost child crying at the station.
Etymology
From Old French pité, itself from Latin pietas ("dutifulness, piety") — pity and piety are historical twins from the same Latin root.
Synonyms
View more →
shame
sympathy
mercy
commiseration
sorrow
ruth
compassionate
commiserate
compassion
condole
feel someone's pain
feel sorry for
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for pity
See all rhymes for pity →Frequently asked questions
What does “pity” mean?
The word “pity” means a feeling of sorrow or sympathy for someone else's suffering. In plain terms, feeling sorry for someone, or a sad, disappointing situation ("what a pity").
How do you pronounce “pity”?
“Pity” is pronounced PIHT-ee (/ˈpɪt.i/ in IPA).
How do you use “pity” in a sentence?
Here is “pity” used in a sentence: “She felt a deep pity for the stray dog shivering in the rain.”
What is another word for “pity”?
Words with a similar meaning to “pity” include commiserate, compassion, compassionate, condole, feel someone's pain and feel sorry for.
What part of speech is “pity”?
Depending on how it is used, “pity” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “pity” come from?
The word “pity” comes from Latin. From Old French pité, itself from Latin pietas ("dutifulness, piety") — pity and piety are historical twins from the same Latin root.
Is “pity” a common word?
“Pity” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “pity” have?
“Pity” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a feeling of sorrow or sympathy for someone else's suffering.
What is the difference between pity and empathy?
Pity is a feeling of sorrow or sympathy for someone else's suffering, observed from the outside. Empathy goes further: it is the ability to share or imaginatively enter into another person's feelings, so empathy involves understanding from within while pity can be felt at a distance.
What is the difference between pity and sympathy?
The two overlap, and pity is even defined as sorrow or sympathy for another person's suffering, but their tones differ. Sympathy is generally neutral or warm, while pity can suggest that the person feeling it considers themselves better off, which is why "I don't want your pity" is a common protest.
Is it condescending to pity someone?
It can be. To pity someone is simply to feel sorrow or sympathy for their suffering, but because the feeling flows one way, from the comfortable toward the suffering, many people experience being pitied as belittling; compassion and empathy are usually received more warmly.
