pity

noun
UK: /ˈpɪti/
US: /ˈpɪti/

  1. A feeling of sadness and sympathy for someone who is suffering or unhappy.

    1. I feel pity for him now. [ ] [ ]
    2. She looked at the broken vase with a feeling of pity and regret. [ ] [ ]

  2. A cause for regret or disappointment.

    1. It's a pity she can't come. [ ] [ ]
    2. What a pity you didn't see the show when it was in town as it was excellent. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

regret sympathy compassion shame empathy
pity verb

  1. To feel sadness or sympathy for someone.

    1. I pity anyone stuck in traffic. [ ] [ ]
    2. We all pity those who lost their homes in the recent floods and are trying to rebuild their lives. [ ] [ ]

  2. To feel sorry for someone and show it by trying to help them.

    1. Don't pity me, I'm fine. [ ] [ ]
    2. She didn't want to be pitied, but rather respected for her resilience and strength. [ ] [ ]
pity interjection

  1. Used to express regret or disappointment about something.

    1. Pity about the weather. [ ] [ ]
    2. It's a pity John isn't coming with us to the party tonight since we haven't seen him in ages. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "pity" in English means: A feeling of sadness and sympathy for someone who is suffering or unhappy., A cause for regret or disappointment..

The phonetic transcription of "pity" is /ˈpɪti/ in British English and /ˈpɪti/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "pity": regret, sympathy, compassion, shame, empathy.

Example usage of "pity": "I feel pity for him now.". More examples on the page.