PATHOS Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

pathos

noun

Definition of pathos

as in sorrow

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of pathos His blend of humor and pathos demands a high-wire act from his ensembles. — Maureen Lee Lenker, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026 While the prerequisite Miami bachelor party antics — party buses, yacht parties, and accidentally stealing 30 kilos of cocaine from a cartel boss — all occur, the film tries to root itself in some real pathos about the nature of male friendships. — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 24 July 2026 His specific policy plans could be opaque, but his pathos was distinctive, his convictions bone-deep. — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 15 July 2026 An art film about the great midfielder Zinedine Zidane reveals the heroism and pathos of being human. — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 11 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for pathos

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pathos

Noun

The day ended in that same quad with feelings of sorrow, grief, shock and confusion.

— PJ Green August 30, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026
Going back to the Mets example, perhaps in an uber-technical sense a Mets’ loss could have marginal economic impact as some fans guzzle more beer to drown away their sorrows.

— Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of sorrow

Noun

Moving between Paris and Belo Horizonte, the film explores grief, migration, Black identity and the invisible ties connecting women across generations.

— Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
Asked about previously describing the aftermath as losing more than half of his family — including Nick — Jake acknowledged that his brother’s arrest has compounded his grief.

— Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of grief

Noun

For Alex’s family, those seven months have done little to dull the anguish over what happened to him — or their determination to see the two officers who fired the shots held responsible.

— Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
Some say there is a fine line between anguish or sadness — and laughter.

— Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of anguish

Noun

The case was unsolved for decades Blandford and Bennett recount the heartache their family went through after their sister’s death.

— Avni Trivedi, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
He's considered one of the most influential rappers of all time with songs that speak to the human experience of love, heartache and familial relationships.

— CBS News, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of heartache

Noun

In the novel, Paradella cannot seem to finish the translation, due to distractions, heartbreaks, travels, and misplacements of the manuscript.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026
Wagoner relented and Parton, with a song that captured the pain of deep heartbreak, embarked on a solo career almost incomparable in the history of American music.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of heartbreak

Noun

But Moores would express misery in recalling ballpark-construction hassles and MLB politics that frustrated his advocacy of small-market clubs and game-day affordability.

— Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
This summer’s misery has been driven less by scorching afternoons than by record-warm nights and Miami-level humidity, according to scientist Daniel Swain.

— Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of misery

Noun

Illinois’ chunk of that multistate settlement is certainly a tidy sum that could help chip away at Chicago Public Schools’ budget woes.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
The water woes must be seen in the context of Puerto Rico’s dependency on the United States.

— Isabel Rosales, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of woe

Browse Nearby Words

pathologists

pathos

paths

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“Pathos.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pathos. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of pathos

noun

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