Word
pathetic
Phoneticspa·thet·ic, stress on the second syllable
US/pəˈθɛtɪk/
UK/pɐθˈɛtɪk/
Definitions
01weak or inadequate
B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal
adj. so weak, small, or bad that it is embarrassing or annoying.
adj. arousing scorn or contempt through miserable inadequacy or lack of effort.
“The team gave a pathetic performance and lost the game by five goals.”
“The company's pathetic attempt to justify the price hike only served to further alienate its long-term customer base.”
Usage
Often used as a strong insult to describe an excuse, an effort, or a person's character.
Antonyms
02causing pity
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. making you feel deep sadness or pity.
adj. arousing pity, sympathy, or compassion; evocative of pathos.
“The lost kitten looked pathetic shivering in the cold rain.”
“The witness gave a pathetic account of the hardships faced by the refugees during the winter months.”
Teaching tip
While this sense is the original meaning, be aware that modern speakers often use 'pathetic' to mean 'useless' or 'contemptible' instead.
Synonyms
03anatomy
C2 · Proficiency Medicine Technical
adj. a technical word for a specific nerve or muscle in the eye.
adj. relating to the trochlear nerve or the superior oblique muscle of the eye.
“The doctor checked the pathetic nerve to see if the patient's eye could move correctly.”
“Damage to the pathetic nerve can result in vertical diplopia, significantly affecting the patient's ability to look downward and inward.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“He cuts a pretty pathetic figure visually, too: geeky dress sense, feebly unassertive, his hair a mess.” “You can see the long lines of Germans plodding down towards Paris through Belgium and northern France and the pathetic refugees with their possessions piled on carts and wheelbarrows.” Etymology
From Middle French pathétique, from Latin patheticus, from Ancient Greek παθητικός (pathētikós, “subject to feeling, capable of feeling, impassioned”), from παθητός (pathētós, “one who has suffered, subject to suffering”), from πάσχω (páskhō, “to suffer”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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