Words / B2

PIT-ee/ˈpɪti/

Pity is sympathy for someone’s suffering; what a pity / it is a pity means something is unfortunate: take pity on; a pity that. Sympathy is a close twin; mercy is sparing punishment. The speaker’s pity is not a policy. Mix-up: petty is small-minded; pit. Do not write pity for “I agree with their argument”.

Meaning

A feeling of sympathy for someone’s suffering; what a pity means it is unfortunate.

Examples

• “The speaker’s pity is not the same as a policy, the literature paper said.”
• “It is a pity the n is twelve, which is the unfortunate-fact sense — still report the limit.”

Good to know

take pity on; what a pity; it is a pity that. Close: sympathy. Trap: petty / pit. Literature, news, and orals. Sympathy, or “unfortunately” — not a plan.

Near in meaning

sympathy

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