Pathos
noun
A quality that makes people feel a strong emotion, like sadness or sympathy.
The character's tragic ending filled the audience with pathos.
Often appears as...
- filled with pathos
- stirring pathos
Usage tips
Literary
noun
A method of persuasion in speeches or writing where the speaker arouses the audience's emotions.
The politician relied on pathos rather than logical arguments to gain support.
Often appears as...
- rely on pathos
- pathos in speeches
Usage tips
Approving
Academic
noun
A quality that makes people feel a strong emotion, like sadness or sympathy.
The character's tragic ending filled the audience with pathos.
Often appears as...
- filled with pathos
- stirring pathos
Usage tips
Literary
noun
A method of persuasion in speeches or writing where the speaker arouses the audience's emotions.
The politician relied on pathos rather than logical arguments to gain support.
Often appears as...
- rely on pathos
- pathos in speeches
Usage tips
Approving
Academic
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Appeal
Pathos involves emotions that appeal to the audience's sense of compassion or sorrow.
The novel’s pathos made readers feel empathy towards the hero.
Pro Tip 2/3Literary Device
Authors use pathos to create an emotional connection with the reader, often to highlight suffering.
His struggle was described with such pathos that it brought tears to my eyes.
Pro Tip 3/3Dramatic Scenes
In theater or film, pathos can make an ordinary scene heartbreaking and memorable.
The silence after the battle was filled with pathos.
Compare with
compassionempathymelancholypitypoignancysorrowsympathytragedy
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Video examples
The Secret of Musical...
i would never say we're gonna find the answers what i would say is we're gonna try to get closer to the truth and that truth seems to center around this this is where i think your history your memories your self-consciousness your pathos your humanity your humility all of these
Video examples
How to use rhetoric to...
And finally, pathos appeals to emotion, and in our age of mass media, it's often the most effective mode. Pathos is neither inherently good nor bad, but it may be irrational and unpredictable. It can just as easily rally people for peace
Video examples
"Afterneath" / "Killing...
or the pathos or "ahness" of things. It's a valuable awareness of impermanence, both a kind of gentle, transient sadness as things pass by in life, but also a deeper, softly lingering sadness about the impermanence of all reality.
Video examples
The Secret of Musical...
i would never say we're gonna find the answers what i would say is we're gonna try to get closer to the truth and that truth seems to center around this this is where i think your history your memories your self-consciousness your pathos your humanity your humility all of these
Video examples
How to use rhetoric to...
And finally, pathos appeals to emotion, and in our age of mass media, it's often the most effective mode. Pathos is neither inherently good nor bad, but it may be irrational and unpredictable. It can just as easily rally people for peace
Video examples
"Afterneath" / "Killing...
or the pathos or "ahness" of things. It's a valuable awareness of impermanence, both a kind of gentle, transient sadness as things pass by in life, but also a deeper, softly lingering sadness about the impermanence of all reality.
Example 1 of 3
Quote examples
Emil Ferris
American Writer
Monsters are a departure from 'reality' in a way that allows for a range of fantastic possibilities. I mean this within the world of literature as well as in regards to art. When I sit down to draw, I'm energized by the possibility of creating a monster. That is where I find beauty and pathos.
Quote examples
Soren Kierkegaard
Danish Philosopher
The paradox is really the pathos of intellectual life and just as only great souls are exposed to passions it is only the great thinker who is exposed to what I call paradoxes, which are nothing else than grandiose thoughts in embryo.
Quote examples
Andy Serkis
English Actor
Originally, I thought, 'Gollum's such a fantastic character, why are you doing him CG? Surely you need to be able to humanise him as much as possible - he's so full of pathos and real emotion.
Quote examples
Michael Paterniti
American Writer
Storytelling is about patience, about making sense of the moments of pathos and beauty that you find, and about carrying these moments back into your own life.
Quote examples
Michael Shannon
American Actor
I like to play characters that get to do it all - to have a bit of comedy here and a bit of pathos here and a bit of suspense here, that's what's fun.
Quote examples
Lisa Hanawalt
American Artist
I'm drawn towards people who have a little pathos and a little dark side, and I feel the same towards fictional characters.
Quote examples
John Bishop
British Comedian
I think there's a thin line between pathos and comedy, and I'm not afraid of putting my heart on my sleeve.
Quote examples
Elizabeth Berg
American Author
I find life a mix of humor and pathos, and all my books reflect that to one degree or another.
Quote examples
Hector Elizondo
American Actor
I'm attracted to pathos, because life is mostly pathos. I've had a lot of it in my life.
Quote examples
Kanika Dhillon
Indian Author
Deep poignant pathos can be described better in dark humour.
Quote examples
Emil Ferris
American Writer
Monsters are a departure from 'reality' in a way that allows for a range of fantastic possibilities. I mean this within the world of literature as well as in regards to art. When I sit down to draw, I'm energized by the possibility of creating a monster. That is where I find beauty and pathos.
Quote examples
Soren Kierkegaard
Danish Philosopher
The paradox is really the pathos of intellectual life and just as only great souls are exposed to passions it is only the great thinker who is exposed to what I call paradoxes, which are nothing else than grandiose thoughts in embryo.
Quote examples
Andy Serkis
English Actor
Originally, I thought, 'Gollum's such a fantastic character, why are you doing him CG? Surely you need to be able to humanise him as much as possible - he's so full of pathos and real emotion.
Quote examples
Michael Paterniti
American Writer
Storytelling is about patience, about making sense of the moments of pathos and beauty that you find, and about carrying these moments back into your own life.
Quote examples
Michael Shannon
American Actor
I like to play characters that get to do it all - to have a bit of comedy here and a bit of pathos here and a bit of suspense here, that's what's fun.
Quote examples
Lisa Hanawalt
American Artist
I'm drawn towards people who have a little pathos and a little dark side, and I feel the same towards fictional characters.
Quote examples
John Bishop
British Comedian
I think there's a thin line between pathos and comedy, and I'm not afraid of putting my heart on my sleeve.
Quote examples
Elizabeth Berg
American Author
I find life a mix of humor and pathos, and all my books reflect that to one degree or another.
Quote examples
Hector Elizondo
American Actor
I'm attracted to pathos, because life is mostly pathos. I've had a lot of it in my life.
Quote examples
Kanika Dhillon
Indian Author
Deep poignant pathos can be described better in dark humour.
Example 1 of 10
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