Meaning & use
pathos
A quality in speech, writing, or art that evokes feelings of pity, sadness, or sympathy.
See it in a sentence
The film's final scene was filled with pathos as the old dog waited by the door.
The playwright used pathos skillfully to make the audience weep for the fallen hero.
A note on using this word
Pathos, along with ethos and logos, is one of Aristotle's three classical modes of persuasion, appealing to the audience's emotions.
Words with a similar meaning
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