commiserate

[kuh-miz-uh-reyt]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR commiserate ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), com·mis·er·at·ed, com·mis·er·at·ing.

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

verb (used without object), com·mis·er·at·ed, com·mis·er·at·ing.

to sympathize (usually followed by with): They commiserated with him over the loss of his job.

Origin of commiserate

1585–95; < Latin commiserātus (past participle of commiserārī), equivalent to com- com- + miser pitiable (see misery) + -ātus -ate¹

Related formscom·mis·er·a·ble, adjectivecom·mis·er·a·tion, nouncom·mis·er·a·tive, adjectivecom·mis·er·a·tive·ly, adverbcom·mis·er·a·tor, nounnon·com·mis·er·a·tion, nounnon·com·mis·er·a·tive, adjectivenon·com·mis·er·a·tive·ly, adverbun·com·mis·er·at·ed, adjectiveun·com·mis·er·at·ing, adjectiveun·com·mis·er·a·tive, adjectiveun·com·mis·er·a·tive·ly, adverb

Can be confusedcommensurate commiserate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for commiserable

poignant, feeble, woeful, heartbreaking, miserable, pitiful, deplorable, sorry, wretched, distressing, heartrending, inadequate, lamentable, meager, melting, moving, paltry, petty, piteous, plaintive

British Dictionary definitions for commiserable

commiserate

verb

(when intr, usually foll by with) to feel or express sympathy or compassion (for)

Derived Formscommiserable, adjectivecommiseration, nouncommiserative, adjectivecommiseratively, adverbcommiserator, noun

Word Origin for commiserate

C17: from Latin commiserārī, from com- together + miserārī to bewail, pity, from miser wretched

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for commiserable

commiserate

c.1600, from Latin commiseratus, past participle of commiserari "to pity, bewail" (see commiseration). Related: Commiserated; commiserating. An Old English loan-translation of commiserate was efensargian.