Pitiful
Pitiful adjective - Deserving pitying scorn (as for inadequacy).
Tragic is a synonym for pitiful in distressing topic. In some cases you can use "Tragic" instead an adjective "Pitiful".
Tragic
Tragic adjective - Of a kind to cause great distress.
Usage example: in a tragic turn of events the area's sole remaining steel mill suddenly closed
Pitiful is a synonym for tragic in sad topic. Sometimes you can use "Pitiful" instead an adjective "Tragic", if it concerns topics such as catastrophic.
Nearby Words: tragically, tragical
Mutual synonyms
Both words in one sentence
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Alas, Poor Villain: Neff may have been a greedy murderer but his pitiful and tragic demise makes you feel so sorry for him.
Source: Film / Double Indemnity -
Actually subverted in the original Les Misérables with Eponine — she's more pitiful than tragic, and far from selfless.
Source: Unrequited Tragic Maiden -
Tragic Hero: George can be seen as a tragic, pitiful victim of circumstances.
Source: Film / A Place in the Sun
Cite this Source
Tragic and Pitiful. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/pitiful/tragic
Pitiful & Tragic. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/pitiful/tragic>.
Tragic or Pitiful. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/pitiful/tragic.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "pitiful" and "tragic" have occurred on timeline