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Admire vs Pity - What's the difference?

admire | pity |

In transitive terms the difference between admire and pity

is that admire is to estimate or prize highly while pity is to feel pity for (someone or something).

As verbs the difference between admire and pity

is that admire is to be amazed at; to view with surprise; to marvel at while pity is to feel pity for (someone or something).

As a noun pity is

a feeling of sympathy at the misfortune or suffering of someone or something.

As an interjection pity is

short form of what a pity.

admire

English

Verb

(admir)
  • (obsolete) To be amazed at; to view with surprise; to marvel at.
  • *, II.2.4:
    • The poor fellow, admiring how he came there, was served in state all day long […].
  • * Fuller
    • examples rather to be admired than imitated
  • To regard with wonder and delight.
  • to look upon with an elevated feeling of pleasure, as something which calls out approbation, esteem, love or reverence;
  • to estimate or prize highly.
    • to admire''' a person of high moral worth, to '''admire a landscape

    Derived terms

    (terms derived from admire) * admirable * admirer * admiration * admirative

    Related terms

    * admirably

    Anagrams

    * ----

    pity

    English

    Alternative forms

    * pitty (obsolete)

    Noun

  • (uncountable) A feeling of sympathy at the misfortune or suffering of someone or something.
  • * Bible, Proverbs xix. 17
    • He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Hehas no more pity in him than a dog.
  • *, Folio Society, 2006, p.5:
    • The most usuall way to appease those minds we have offendedis, by submission to move them to commiseration and pitty .
  • (countable) Something regrettable.
    • It's a pity you're feeling unwell because there's a party on tonight.
  • * Laurence Sterne
    • It was a thousand pities .
  • * Addison
    • What pity is it / That we can die but once to serve our country!
  • (obsolete) piety
    • (Wyclif)

    Synonyms

    * (mercy) ruth * (something regrettable) shame

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • To feel pity for (someone or something).
  • * Bible, Psalms ciii. 13
    • Like as a father pitieth' his children, so the Lord ' pitieth them that fear him.
  • * 1596 , (Edmund Spenser), The Faerie Queene , IV.11:
    • She lenger yet is like captiv'd to bee; / That even to thinke thereof it inly pitties mee.
  • * Book of Common Prayer
    • It pitieth them to see her in the dust.

    Interjection

  • Short form of what a pity.

    • Synonyms

    * shame, what a pity, what a shame

    Derived terms

    * piteous * pitiable * pitiful * self-pity * what a pity ----