compassion
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
noun
Usage
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.
Related Words
See sympathy.
Other Word Forms
- compassionless adjective
- uncompassion noun
- uncompassioned adjective
Etymology
Origin of compassion
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English (from Anglo-French ), from Late Latin compassiōn- (stem of compassiō ). See com-, passion
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.
Rousseau's English-only condolence video was criticised by Canadian politicians, including Prime Minister Mark Carney, who said it showed "a lack of compassion".
From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026
Carney added that the message showed a "lack of judgement and a lack of compassion."
From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney criticized the airline CEO for lacking compassion and judgment in delivering an unilingual English message.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
Miraculously, “Project Hail Mary” has sense, vision and more than enough compassion to spare.
From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026
Wang Lung stared at him awhile and then in compassion he said suddenly, “Now you have fared worse than we and what have you eaten?”
From "The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck
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.
