evoking or deserving pity

a pitiful fate.

evoking or deserving contempt by smallness, poor quality, etc.

pitiful attempts.

Archaic . full of pity; compassionate.

adjective

excellent , happy , superb , superior , wonderful , worthwhile

adjective

abject , affecting , afflicted , arousing , base , beggarly , cheap , cheerless , comfortless , commiserative , compassionate , contemptible , deplorable , despicable , dismal , distressed , distressing , grievous , heartbreaking , heartrending , inadequate , insignificant , joyless , lamentable , low , mean , miserable , mournful , moving , paltry , pathetic , piteous , pitiable , sad , scurvy , shabby , sorrowful , sorry , stirring , suffering , tearful , touching , vile , woeful , worthless , wretchednotes:piteous is generally not used when speaking of people , pitiable means \'able to be pitied , \' and pitiful most often means \'insignificant; below contempt\' , poor , rueful , ruthful , condolatory , sympathetic , clement , commiserable , forlorn , lenient , merciful , tender-hearted , wretched