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pathetic

[pəˈθɛtɪk]

pathetic Definition

  • 1arousing pity, especially through vulnerability or sadness
  • 2miserably inadequate

Using pathetic: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "pathetic" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

  • Example

    The sight of the starving children was pathetic.

  • Example

    His attempt at singing was pathetic.

  • Example

    The team's performance was pathetic.

  • Example

    She made a pathetic attempt to apologize.

pathetic Synonyms and Antonyms

Antonyms for pathetic

Idioms Using pathetic

  • a weak or insufficient reason or explanation

    Example

    His excuse for being late was a pathetic excuse about traffic.

  • an unsuccessful or feeble effort

    Example

    Her attempt to fix the leaky faucet was a pathetic attempt that only made things worse.

  • something that is sad or pitiful to look at

    Example

    The abandoned puppy was a pathetic sight, shivering in the cold rain.

Phrases with pathetic

  • the attribution of human emotions and actions to inanimate objects or natural phenomena, especially in art and literature

    Example

    The storm clouds were a pathetic fallacy for the protagonist's inner turmoil.

  • patheticism

    an excessive display of emotion or sentimentality

    Example

    The movie was criticized for its patheticism, with many viewers finding it overly sentimental.

  • patheticism

    a tendency to arouse pity or sympathy

    Example

    The author's use of patheticism in her writing made her characters more relatable and sympathetic.

Origins of pathetic

from Greek 'pathētikos', meaning 'capable of feeling'

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Summary: pathetic in Brief

The term 'pathetic' [pəˈθɛtɪk] refers to something that arouses pity, often due to vulnerability or sadness. It can also mean miserably inadequate, as in 'His attempt at singing was pathetic.' 'Pathetic' extends into phrases like 'pathetic fallacy,' and idioms like 'a pathetic excuse,' denoting a weak reason or explanation. Its antonyms include 'impressive' and 'commendable.'

How do native speakers use this expression?