pitifully
/ˈpɪtɪfʊli
/ /ˈpɪtɪf(ə)li /adverb
1In a manner that deserves or arouses pity: the dog whined and cried pitifully [as submodifier]: the children were pitifully thin...
- The dragon turned to look over its shoulder, flapping its broken wings pitifully.
- He bobbed to the surface, howling pitifully, his paws thrashing.
- The exhibition included predictable scenes of patients cowering pitifully in gloomy, overcrowded asylums.
2 [as submodifier] To a very poor or inadequate degree: last week 's turnout was pitifully small pitifully weak military forces...
- Even their cunning ruses are pitifully obvious.
- They are more often than not portrayed as pitifully inept.
- Left to its own devices, it was pitifully unable to mount a serious military operation.