commiserate

American  

[kuh-miz-uh-reyt] / kəˈmɪz əˌreɪt /

verb (used without object)

• commiserates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• commiserated,
  past participle,  past
• commiserating
  present participle

1. to sympathize (usually followed bywith ).

   They commiserated with him over the loss of his job.

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verb (used with object)

• commiserates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• commiserated,
  past participle,  past
• commiserating
  present participle

1. to feel or express sorrow or sympathy for; empathize with; pity.

commiserate British  

/ kəˈmɪzəˌreɪt /

verb

1. to feel or express sympathy or compassion (for)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• commiseration
  noun
• commiserator
  noun
• commiserable
  adjective
• commiserative
  adjective
• noncommiserative
  adjective
• uncommiserated
  adjective
• uncommiserating
  adjective
• uncommiserative
  adjective
• commiseratively
  adverb
• noncommiseratively
  adverb
• uncommiseratively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• commiserating
  present
• commiserated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• commiserate
  simple
• commiserates
  simple
• have commiserated
  perfect
• has commiserated
  perfect
• am commiserating
  progressive
• are commiserating
  progressive
• is commiserating
  progressive
• have been commiserating
  perfect progressive
• has been commiserating
  perfect progressive

Past

• commiserated
  simple
• had commiserated
  perfect
• was commiserating
  progressive
• were commiserating
  progressive
• had been commiserating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will commiserate
  simple
• will have commiserated
  perfect
• will be commiserating
  progressive
• will have been commiserating
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of commiserate

First recorded in 1585–95; from Latin commiserātus (past participle of commiserārī ), equivalent to com- com- + miser “pitiable” ( see misery) + -ātus -ate ¹

Explanation

When you commiserate with your buddies, you're sharing your lousy feelings. People who commiserate have the same negative feelings about something. Take a look at how commiserate is built: it's from Latin "com-," which means "together with," and miserārī, "to pity." Put them together, and you get "to pity one another, commiserate." When you commiserate, you and your fellow commiserators talk about how badly you're all feeling. After the layoffs, we all went to the bar to commiserate.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

commiserate commiserates commiserated commiserating

If you’re standing in line together, you can chat about the wait and commiserate.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

When Bill Ackman vented over $2 million, fellow billionaires rushed to commiserate.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 10, 2026

While a dejected England leave for home well beaten and under mounting pressure, Smith told TNT Sports he planned to have "a jar" with counterpart Stokes and commiserate.

From Barron's ● Jan. 8, 2026

But the episode really culminates in a tender scene between Julie and Emily, where they commiserate over their different forms of grief.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 20, 2025

Mama had told Adamu not to open the gates to all the people who wanted to throng in for mgbalu, to commiserate with us.

From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

He teases people about their sneakers and commiserates with people about life on skid row.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2022

It commiserates about the water bill and shoots the breeze.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 1, 2022

Biden was only 10 when his father, in search of a steady job, moved the family to Delaware, a wrenching decision that Biden often cites as he commiserates with the choices facing middle-class workers.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 20, 2020

She commiserates with them on painful anniversaries - the day their children were taken away by social services, or the last time they spoke to their parents.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2017

She commiserates with a friend whose mother has also left.

From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario

Carmen Schober, the profile’s author, ignored the way members of Schmidt’s online forum, Skinni Société, commiserated about their hair loss and inability to stand without getting dizzy.

From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026

And they commiserated about life in space, and how ISS missions -- all three of the American Artemis astronauts had previously served on the ISS -- had prepared them for their historic lunar voyage.

From Barron's ● Apr. 7, 2026

During weekends at Johnson’s Millbrook, New York, estate, Sothea says they watched movies in her home theater and commiserated over their painful pasts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2025

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu described the incident as unfortunate and commiserated with families of the deceased victims.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2025

“Ah rather be shot with tacks than tuh hear dat ’bout mah- self,” Lige Moss commiserated.

From "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston

Most people react in similarly positive ways, expressing empathy or, my personal favorite, commiserating with me over their own nebulous medical conditions.

From Slate ● May 23, 2026

BBC Sport takes a look at what's at stake and who could be celebrating or commiserating after what is shaping up to be a dramatic final day.

From BBC ● May 3, 2024

There was no celebrating in the clubhouse Sunday, but there was no commiserating either.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 28, 2024

When the Trojans and Bruins meet again, the fans from both sides who dutifully attend likely will be commiserating over another lost season.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 14, 2023

“It’s agony,” Mrs. McCullough said to Mrs. Richardson over a commiserating cup of coffee.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

Related Words

• sympathize