Standard Lemma guide

pathetically

adv · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /pəˈθɛtɪkli/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: P AH0 TH EH1 T IH0 K AH0 L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: P AH0 TH EH1 T IH0 K L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In a pathetic manner; piteously.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adverb

Meaning 2

arousing scornful pity

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • they had pathetically little money
  • it was pathetically bad

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adverb

Meaning 3

in a manner arousing sympathy and compassion

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the sick child cried pathetically

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pitiably

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English pathetic Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al Middle English -ly Middle English -ally English -ally English pathetically From pathetic + -ally.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: патетично (patetično) — in a pathetic manner
  • Bulgarian: трогателно (trogatelno) — in a pathetic manner
  • Chukchi: яйвачеты (jajvačety) — in a pathetic manner
  • French: pathétiquement — in a pathetic manner
  • Latin: pathēticē — in a pathetic manner
  • Russian: жа́лостно (žálostno) — in a pathetic manner
  • Russian: тро́гательно (trógatelʹno) — in a pathetic manner
  • Russian: умили́тельно (umilítelʹno) — in a pathetic manner