Part of Speech: adjective

Definition: pathetic

Synonyms: affecting, beseeching, commiserable, deplorable, distressing, doleful, dolorous, entreating, grievous, heart-rending, heartbreaking, imploring, lamentable, melancholy, miserable, mournful, moving, pitiable, pitiful, plaintive, poignant, poor, rueful, ruined, sad, sorrowful, supplicating, woeful, wretched

Notes: piteous is generally not used when speaking of people, pitiable means ‘able to be pitied,’ and pitiful most often means ‘insignificant; below contempt’

or:

Main Entry: compassionate

Part of Speech: adjective

Definition: kind-hearted

Synonyms: all heart, be big, benevolent, bleeding heart*, charitable, commiserative, forbearing, humane, humanitarian, indulgent, kindly, lenient, live with, merciful, old softie*, piteous, pitying, responsive, soft shell*, soft-hearted, sparing, sympathetic, tender, tender-hearted, understanding, warm, warm-hearted

“The starving child wailed piteously.”

Archaic. Pitying; compassionate.

ex: “oh you poor thing”