pity
B2Neutral to formal; common in both spoken and written English.
Definition
Meaning
A feeling of sadness or sympathy for someone else's suffering or misfortune.
A regrettable or unfortunate situation; something that causes disappointment or mild regret.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Can denote both the emotion (sympathy) and the cause of that emotion (an unfortunate event). As a verb, it often implies a degree of condescension.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Both use the word identically in terms of meaning and grammar.
Connotations
Slightly more common in British English in formal or literary contexts (e.g., 'It's a pity'). In American English, 'shame' or 'too bad' might be more frequent in casual speech.
Frequency
Higher frequency in British English corpora.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
It is a pity (that) + clausefeel pity for + NPtake pity on + NPWhat a pity!pity + NP (as verb)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “More's the pity”
- “For pity's sake!”
- “Pity party (informal, derogatory)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might be used in HR contexts regarding unfortunate circumstances: 'It's a pity we lost that candidate.'
Academic
Used in literary analysis, philosophy, or ethics to discuss compassion and tragedy.
Everyday
Very common to express mild regret or sympathy: 'What a pity you can't come.'
Technical
Not applicable.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- I pity anyone who has to work in this rain.
- She pitied his loneliness.
American English
- Don't pity me—I made my own choices.
- I kind of pity the guy; he never had a chance.
adverb
British English
- She smiled pityingly at the lost puppy.
- He shook his head pityingly.
American English
- He looked at me pityingly.
- She spoke pityingly of their situation.
adjective
British English
- He gave a pitying look.
- Her pitying smile made him feel worse.
American English
- She had a pitying expression.
- I hate getting those pitying glances.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- It is a pity you are ill.
- I feel pity for the sick dog.
- What a pity the concert was cancelled!
- She took pity on the homeless man and gave him some money.
- It seems a great pity to waste all this food.
- I pity anyone who has to commute in that traffic every day.
- His appeal for clemency fell on ears devoid of pity.
- There was a tinge of self-pity in her lament, which I found rather tiresome.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Pity rhymes with 'city' – imagine feeling sad for a city that has suffered a disaster.
Conceptual Metaphor
PITY IS A LIQUID (e.g., 'filled with pity', 'well of pity'), PITY IS DOWN (e.g., 'look down on someone with pity').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'жалость' in all contexts; 'pity' can sound more condescending. 'Сожаление' is closer for the 'regret' sense. The verb 'to pity' is not always a direct match for 'жалеть'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'pity' as a countable noun without an article (e.g., 'It is pity' instead of 'It is a pity'). Confusing 'I pity him' (I feel sorry for him) with 'I feel pity for him' (more standard phrasing).
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase implies condescension?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not always. While it expresses sadness, the act of 'taking pity' on someone can be positive and lead to helping them. However, being 'an object of pity' is negative, and the verb 'to pity' someone can imply looking down on them.
'Pity' often involves feeling sorry for someone perceived as less fortunate and can imply inequality. 'Sympathy' is a feeling of understanding and care for someone's suffering, suggesting more shared emotion and equality.
Yes, informally. 'Pity!' or more commonly 'What a pity!' is used to express disappointment.
No. In contexts like 'It's a shame/pity', they are interchangeable for expressing regret. However, 'shame' has a strong primary meaning related to guilt and disgrace, which 'pity' does not share.
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