WordLens

pathetically

1 of 1adverb
/pəˈθɛtɪkli/
1

in a manner that inspires sympathy by showing weakness, sadness, or helplessness

  • She reached out pathetically for comfort after the accident.
  • The injured bird fluttered pathetically on the ground.
  • He pleaded pathetically for forgiveness after the mistake.
  • The orphan looked pathetically into the crowd, searching for a family.
  • The old man smiled pathetically despite his obvious pain.
Synonyms:
2

in a way that is noticeably weak, ineffective, or laughably inadequate

  • He protested pathetically against the new rules, but no one listened.
  • The team's defense collapsed pathetically during the final minutes.
  • She attempted to explain her absence pathetically, with excuses no one believed.
  • The presentation ended pathetically after technical problems disrupted it.
  • The proposal was rejected pathetically due to lack of preparation.