commiserate
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
- commiserable adjective
- commiseration noun
- commiserative adjective
- commiseratively adverb
- commiserator noun
- noncommiserative adjective
- noncommiseratively adverb
- uncommiserated adjective
- uncommiserating adjective
- uncommiserative adjective
- uncommiseratively adverb
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.
Vocabulary lists containing commiserate
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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
People are waiting to help, commune and commiserate, but not enough of them are asking for what they need.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025
At the end of a fractious series, India broke off from the delirious celebrations to commiserate with Woakes, then embarked on a lap of honour, soaking up a historic win with their jubilant fans.
From BBC • Aug. 4, 2025
I was Madame Ngemba, someone to commiserate with in the market over the price of fruit, the mother of children who sought mischief with theirs.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
