"pitiful" in the adjective sense
1. pathetic, pitiable, pitiful
inspiring mixed contempt and pity
"their efforts were pathetic"
"pitiable lack of character"
"pitiful exhibition of cowardice"
2. deplorable, distressing, lamentable, pitiful, sad, sorry
bad unfortunate
"my finances were in a deplorable state"
"a lamentable decision"
"her clothes were in sad shape"
"a sorry state of affairs"
3. hapless, miserable, misfortunate, pathetic, piteous, pitiable, pitiful, poor, wretched
deserving or inciting pity
"a hapless victim"
"miserable victims of war"
"the shabby room struck her as extraordinarily pathetic"- Galsworthy
"piteous appeals for help"
"pitiable homeless children"
"a pitiful fate"
"Oh, you poor thing"
"his poor distorted limbs"
"a wretched life"
Source: WordNet® (An amazing lexical database of English)
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