Synonyms

compassion

American

[kuhm-pash-uhn] / kəmˈpæʃ ən /

noun

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)

Archaic. to have compassion for; compassionate.

compassion British

/ kəmˈpæʃən /

noun

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

"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

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.

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

"Those struggling with severe mental health challenges need treatment, compassion and support, not a path to end their life at what may be their lowest moment."

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

For a moment I saw compassion and fear struggle in his face.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023