pathetic

Universal Words adjective 1 making you feel pity or sadness: a pathetic and lonely old man * The starving children were a pathetic sight. 2 (informal, disapproving) weak, useless and not successful: a pathetic excuse / joke * She made a pathetic attempt to smile. * I know it sounds pathetic, but I can't ride a bike. * You're pathetic! pathetically adverb: He cried pathetically. * a pathetically shy woman