Meaning
painful, pathetic
- causing grief, sorrow, or distress; painful to experience
- awkward, pathetic, or embarrassingly substandard
In a sentence
È stato davvero penoso ascoltare quella discussione così crudele.
It was truly painful to listen to such a cruel argument.
La prestazione della squadra è stata penosa dal primo minuto.
The team's performance was pathetic from the very first minute.
Non voleva trovarsi di nuovo in una condizione così penosa.
She didn't want to find herself in such a distressing state again.
Word forms (4)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| penoso | masculine · singular |
| penosa | feminine · singular |
| penosi | masculine · plural |
| penose | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- Can describe genuine emotional suffering or contemptible, embarrassing mediocrity.