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sympathetic contact

American  

noun

Sociology.
  1. behavior toward an individual based on the individual's personal makeup rather than on their group membership.


Etymology

Origin of sympathetic contact

First recorded in 1840–50

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.

See Examples For:

I was a frequent attendant at places of amusement, public games, and races, and refreshed myself almost daily with the sympathetic contact of the numerous society which my hospitality brought round my table.

From Another World Fragments from the Star City of Montalluyah by Lumley, Benjamin

Olive, not taking aught from the passionate love with which she looked up to her mother, yet opened her warm heart to the sweetness of this affection—so fresh, so sudden, so full of sympathetic contact.

From Olive A Novel by Bowers, G.

The author lives there, he has been in sympathetic contact with these votaries of this new art since its beginning, and his statements are entirely trustworthy.

From The Golden Bird by Chase, Edward L.

Her transcendent resignation, with its consequent lack of sympathetic contact with the imperfect humanity of—well, Nettie, gave Taou Yuen a dangerous freedom from all that bound Salem in comparative safety.

From Java Head by Hergesheimer, Joseph

There were moments when she was so mortally lonely that any sympathetic contact with another life sent a glow into her veins—that she was thankful to warm herself at any fire.

From The Fruit of the Tree by Kimball, Alonzo

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