as in merciful
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
as in loving
to have sympathy for
I always pity the people who have to work in this freezing weather
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pitying
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Twenty-first-century indie shaped the identities of many Millennials, but it’s now often talked about with pitying nostalgia—as the bygone style of hipsters with handlebar mustaches pretending to be countercultural while making easy-listening music for hotel lobbies.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
Having failed to secure a ticket, I was taunted with pitying one-upmanship by acquaintances who had had more success.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Twenty-first-century indie shaped the identities of many Millennials, but it’s now often talked about with pitying nostalgia—as the bygone style of hipsters with handlebar mustaches pretending to be countercultural while making easy-listening music for hotel lobbies.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pitying
Adjective
-
The merciful end came three weeks after Sunderland’s surrender to relegation in May 2017.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The age difference between the Aunt Lydia School students and the actors who play them has never felt more merciful than in this week’s episode.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His words are a stark contrast to the young, adventure-loving Crown Point native who moved to Japan in 2013 after teaching himself Japanese as a teenager.—
Megan De Mar,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Shady Areas Lavender is a sun-loving plant that requires several hours of direct sunlight per day to thrive.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This adaptive plant can become tolerant of one herbicide.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Select shade-tolerant grasses or an ornamental groundcover for difficult shady spots.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Bahrain revoked citizenship from 69 individuals accused of being sympathetic to Iran.—
Dominic Dudley,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Several justices seemed sympathetic to the company’s argument that it can’t be sued under state law because federal regulators have found Roundup likely doesn’t cause cancer.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
That’s why understanding how carbon monoxide detectors work is essential for protecting your household.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Chastain, who is the lead star and an executive producer of the series, was not especially understanding.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
What happens when staying in school is no longer the sentimental choice, or the patient choice, but the best business decision available?—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Trump’s Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has proposed excluding diagnoses added by an insurer who merely reviews patient records but never actually sees the patient.—
Stephen Moore,
Boston Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
With the economy in the doldrums, the public is less forbearing.—
Jeff Kingston,
Time,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Mercedes says the sedan can travel 472 miles on a single charge, but that estimate was reached using the more forgiving WLTP testing standard.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
20 Apr. 2026
-
But while gardening is a relatively forgiving process that can be adjusted over time, there are certain spring gardening do’s and don’ts that may dramatically alter the health of your plants and your garden for the entire growing season.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pitying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pitying. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
