PITY Synonyms: 82 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'pity' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of pity are commiseration , compassion , condolence , and sympathy . While all these words mean "the act or capacity for sharing the painful feelings of another," pity implies tender or sometimes slightly contemptuous sorrow for one in misery or distress. // felt pity for the captives

Q: When is it sensible to use 'commiseration' instead of 'pity'?

The words commiseration and pity can be used in similar contexts, but commiseration suggests pity expressed outwardly in exclamations, tears, or words of comfort. // murmurs of commiseration filled the loser's headquarters

Q: When can 'compassion' be used instead of 'pity'?

While in some cases nearly identical to pity , compassion implies pity coupled with an urgent desire to aid or to spare. // treats the homeless with great compassion

Q: When might 'condolence' be a better fit than 'pity'?

The synonyms condolence and pity are sometimes interchangeable, but condolence applies chiefly to formal expression of grief to one who has suffered loss. // expressed their condolences to the widow

Q: When could 'sympathy' be used to replace 'pity'?

In some situations, the words sympathy and pity are roughly equivalent. However, sympathy often suggests a tender concern but can also imply a power to enter into another's emotional experience of any sort. // went to my best friend for sympathy // in sympathy with her desire to locate her natural parents

pity 1 of 2

noun

ˈpi-tē

Definition of pity

as in shame

a regrettable or blameworthy act it's a pity the woodchuck ate all the flowers after you put so much effort into the garden

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in sympathy

the capacity for feeling for another's unhappiness or misfortune a woman of boundless pity who tried to care for every abandoned animal she found

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pity

2 of 2

verb

as in to love

to have sympathy for I always pity the people who have to work in this freezing weather

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun pity contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of pity are commiseration, compassion, condolence, and sympathy. While all these words mean "the act or capacity for sharing the painful feelings of another," pity implies tender or sometimes slightly contemptuous sorrow for one in misery or distress.

felt pity for the captives

When is it sensible to use commiseration instead of pity?

The words commiseration and pity can be used in similar contexts, but commiseration suggests pity expressed outwardly in exclamations, tears, or words of comfort.

murmurs of commiseration filled the loser's headquarters

When can compassion be used instead of pity?

While in some cases nearly identical to pity, compassion implies pity coupled with an urgent desire to aid or to spare.

treats the homeless with great compassion

When might condolence be a better fit than pity?

The synonyms condolence and pity are sometimes interchangeable, but condolence applies chiefly to formal expression of grief to one who has suffered loss.

expressed their condolences to the widow

When could sympathy be used to replace pity?

In some situations, the words sympathy and pity are roughly equivalent. However, sympathy often suggests a tender concern but can also imply a power to enter into another's emotional experience of any sort.

went to my best friend for sympathy

in sympathy with her desire to locate her natural parents

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 pity

Noun

The actress was at a tipping point in her career, shifting from easily relatable protagonists to more complicated characters who didn’t require our affection or our pity. — Chris Bellamy, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026 What is above all so cherishable in this work, and in Sanguinetti ‘s photographs seen here, is that there is no patronage or pity for Beli and Guile. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2026

Verb

Instead, we are ridiculed and pitied globally. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2026 So pity the ordinary property owners who have to pay the taxman two times every year. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pity

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pity

Noun

The French gêne par procuration delegates discomfort, while the German Fremdschämen means foreign shame.

— Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
While the imposing box set itself is a portable 12-pound film school and an instant status symbol on your shelf, there’s no shame in clicking over for a preview.

— Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of shame

Noun

But Trump’s persistent sympathy for Russia’s position remains a mystery of our time.

— Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
Public sympathy for Palestinians is widespread in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, and the government has long supported an independent Palestinian state.

— Niniek Karmini, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of sympathy

Verb

The theme of Season 2, Harjo says, is to figure out how to love yourself — and how that love will extend to everyone else in your life.

— Michael Schneider, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Always one for a picture-perfect moment of her family, Joan loved to put the kids in matching outfits while entertaining guests at home.

— Megan Johnson, Architectural Digest, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of love

Verb

But the really impactful part is understanding the function and developing it into a tool.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
The committee isn’t fully aware of the muddy bog in which Taverner is currently sinking, but Lamb is starting to understand the shape of it.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of understand

Noun

No, any empathy felt for Pam Voorhees (Linda Cardellini) and her son, Jason (Callum Vinson), stems from natural human compassion.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Oct. 2026
His support of Misericordia reflected his deep compassion for the individuals and families who make up our community.

— Tom Barnas, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of compassion

Noun

Your deep veins run within the muscles of your arms and legs, carrying most of the blood returning from your limbs to your heart.

— Angela Haupt, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Aware of the Simonson case in Minnesota, Wisconsin investigators identified one of the victims as Simonson, in part through a distinctive tattoo on her ankle featuring a heart and her daughter Alyssa's name.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of heart

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pit vipers

pity

pitying

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“Pity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pity. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of pity

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verb

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