compassion

[kuhm-pash-uhn]

noun

1. a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.

   Synonyms: clemency, heart, tenderness, mercy, commiseration
   Antonyms: indifference, mercilessness

verb (used with object)

1. Archaic.,  to have compassion for; compassionate.

compassion

/ kəmˈpæʃən /

noun

1. a feeling of distress and pity for the suffering or misfortune of another, often including the desire to alleviate it

Other Word Forms

• compassionless adjective
• uncompassion noun
• uncompassioned adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of compassion¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English (from Anglo-French ), from Late Latin compassiōn- (stem of compassiō ). See com-, passion

Word History and Origins

Origin of compassion¹

C14: from Old French, from Late Latin compassiō fellow feeling, from compatī to suffer with, from Latin com- with + patī to bear, suffer

Synonym Study

See sympathy.

Example Sentences

He said there needed to be more focus on "fairness, compassion and justice", adding he was worried about the impact of increasingly divisive rhetoric.

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"Now is the moment to show our compassion and love to help them, or their friends and family, to reach out to organisations like The Forward Trust for support," she said.

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As Soviet spy Philip Jennings on “The Americans,” Rhys stood fast in his character’s compassion for others despite his escalating body count.

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“Your grandmother was wise, fair, and filled with compassion,” the woman continues.

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“Two sides have turned to one. Not through violence, but through compassion and kindness. The tree that was split down the middle has grown together once more.”

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Related Words

• benevolence 
• empathy 
• grace 
• humanity 
• kindness 
• mercy 
• sorrow 
• sympathy 
• tenderness www.thesaurus.com

When To Use

What does compassion mean?

Compassion is a feeling of sympathy or pity for others, especially one that makes you want to help them.Compassion is sometimes used interchangeably with sympathy, which most most commonly means the sharing of emotions with someone else, especially sadness. Both words are used in the context of feeling sorry for people who are in negative situations. But compassion is often understood as a feeling that motivates you to help them.The opposite of compassion is often thought to be indifference or cold-heartedness.Someone who has compassion for others can be described as compassionate. Being compassionate typically means you care and you want to help.Example: We should treat people with compassion because that’s how we want to be treated.