Abject vs Pitiful - What's the difference?

abject | pitiful | Related terms |

As adjectives the difference between abject and pitiful

is that abject is rejected; cast aside while pitiful is feeling pity; merciful.

As a noun abject

is a person in the lowest and most despicable condition; a castaway; outcast.

As a verb abject

is to cast off or out; to reject.

abject

English

Etymology 1

* From (etyl) .

Adjective

(en-adj)

(obsolete) Rejected; cast aside.

Sunk to or existing in a low condition, state, or position.

Cast down in spirit or hope; degraded; servile; grovelling; despicable; lacking courage; offered in a humble and often ingratiating spirit.

Showing utter hopelessness; helplessness; showing resignation; wretched.

Usage notes

* Nouns to which "abject" is often applied: poverty, fear, terror, submission, misery, failure, state, condition, apology, humility, servitude, manner, coward.

Synonyms

* beggarly, contemptible, cringing, degraded, groveling, ignoble, mean, mean-spirited, slavish, vile, worthless

Noun

(en noun)

A person in the lowest and most despicable condition; a castaway; outcast.

Etymology 2

From (etyl) abjecten, derived from the adjective form.

Verb

(en verb)

(obsolete) To cast off or out; to reject.

(obsolete) To cast down; hence, to abase; to degrade; to lower; to debase.

(John Donne)

References

English heteronyms ----

pitiful

English

Alternative forms

* pitifull (archaic)

Adjective

(pitifuller)

Feeling pity; merciful.

* 1851 , Herman Melville, Moby-Dick :

Straightway, he now goes on to make a full confession; whereupon the mariners became more and more appalled, but still are pitiful .

So appalling or sad that one feels or should feel sorry for it; eliciting pity.

Scotland has a pitiful climate.

Very small (of an amount or number).

A pitiful number of students bothered to turn up.

Synonyms

* See also