Pity
/ˈpɪti/
Definitions
3 meaningsA feeling of sorrow or sympathy caused by the suffering and troubles of others.
/ˈpɪti/
Feeling of sorrow or sympathy for the sufferings of others.
She felt a deep pity for the refugees.
💡 Simply: Imagine seeing someone sad or hurt. Pity is that feeling in your heart that makes you want to help or comfort them. Like, if your friend fell and scraped their knee, you'd feel pity for them.
👶 For kids: Feeling sad for someone who is hurt or sad.
More Examples
He looked at her with pity in his eyes.
The story evoked a strong sense of pity in the audience.
How It's Used
"I felt pity for the homeless man on the street."
"The novel explored the themes of pity and compassion in the face of adversity."
A cause for regret or disappointment; a regrettable circumstance.
/ˈpɪti/
A cause for regret or disappointment.
It's a pity that you're not coming to the party.
💡 Simply: Pity can also mean something that's sad or unfortunate. Like, "What a pity the ice cream melted!" It means it's too bad that happened.
👶 For kids: Something that makes you sad or disappointed.
More Examples
What a pity that the weather is so bad.
It would be a pity to waste such a beautiful day indoors.
How It's Used
"It's a pity that the concert was canceled."
"What a pity that you missed the party!"
To feel sorrow or sympathy for someone or something; to regard with pity.
/ˈpɪti/
Feel sorrow or sympathy for.
I pity the people who have to live in poverty.
💡 Simply: To pity means to feel bad for someone because of something sad that's happening to them. Like, you pity a friend who's feeling lonely.
👶 For kids: To feel sad for someone.
More Examples
She pitied the injured animal.
We all pitied him when he lost his job.
How It's Used
"I pity anyone who has to deal with such a difficult situation."
"The judge pitied the defendant, given his difficult circumstances."
Synonyms
Antonyms
Apathy
Cruelty
Indifference
Malice
Fortune
Joy
Luck
Despise
Disregard
Envy
Ignore
Idioms & expressions
take pity on
To feel sympathy for someone and help them.
"The company took pity on the struggling artist and offered him a job."
From Old French "pité" (compassion, sympathy), from Latin "pietas" (piety, devotion, sense of duty).
Pity has been used with similar meanings since the Middle Ages, often in religious and moral contexts.
Memory tip
Think of a sad puppy; you feel pity for its loneliness.