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sympathy
[ sim-puh-thee ]
noun
- the act or state of feeling sorrow or compassion for another:
I can do no more than express my deep sympathy for you in your loss.
- agreement in feelings or emotions between people or on the part of one person toward another, especially as based on similar tastes, shared understanding, etc.:
The characters are odious and self-serving, and neither arouses any sympathy in the reader.
Synonyms: affinity, rapport, understanding, concord
- sympathies,
- feelings or impulses of compassion:
The mayor extends her deepest sympathies to all those affected by the bridge collapse.
- feelings of favor, support, or loyalty:
It's hard to tell where your sympathies lie.
- favor or approval:
He viewed the plan with sympathy and publicly backed it.
- agreement, consonance, or accord:
It's difficult not to have some sympathy with the sentiments expressed.
- Psychology. a relationship between persons in which the condition of one induces a parallel or reciprocal condition in another.
- Physiology. the relation between parts or organs whereby a condition or disorder of one part induces some effect in another.
adjective
- expressing sympathy:
A sympathy card can be an encouraging ray of light to someone who has recently lost a loved one.
Some suspect the nomination was a sympathy vote rather than a true reflection of her qualifications.
sympathy
/ ˈsɪmpəθɪ /
noun
- the sharing of another's emotions, esp of sorrow or anguish; pity; compassion
- an affinity or harmony, usually of feelings or interests, between persons or things
to be in sympathy with someone
- mutual affection or understanding arising from such a relationship; congeniality
- the condition of a physical system or body when its behaviour is similar or corresponds to that of a different system that influences it, such as the vibration of sympathetic strings
- sometimes plural a feeling of loyalty, support, or accord, as for an idea, cause, etc
- physiol the mutual relationship between two organs or parts whereby a change in one has an effect on the other
Other Words From
- non·sym·pa·thy noun plural nonsympathies
- pre·sym·pa·thy noun
- su·per·sym·pa·thy noun plural supersympathies
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of sympathy1
Synonym Study
Example Sentences
In a Facebook post, its staff sent their "deepest sympathy to her mum, dad and brothers at this heartbreaking time".
So you have my heartfelt sympathies, but it's going to happen in a lot of other countries, not just America.
Dennis is strongly against the bill but still has sympathy for the MPs.
“I have got huge sympathy for people who have experienced a difficult time at the end of their lives,” she said.
"My thoughts and sympathies remain with Tamzin's family and friends, and everyone affected by the tragic events of that evening," Mr Ford continued.
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More About Sympathy
What does sympathy mean?
Sympathy most commonly means the sharing of emotions with someone else, especially sadness.
This is usually understood to mean that you feel bad for them because they are in a negative situation.
Sympathy is sometimes used to mean compassion. The plural form sympathies refers to feelings of compassion, as in We need to offer our sympathies for their loss, or to support or loyalty, as in The governor has earned the sympathies of the working class.
Sympathy is also sometimes used in a general way to refer to agreement, as in Their political positions are largely in sympathy with each other.
Someone who has sympathy for someone or a cause can be described as sympathetic. To feel sympathy for someone is to sympathize with them.
Some people use the word sympathy interchangeably or in overlapping ways with the word empathy, which is the ability or practice of imagining or trying to deeply understand what someone else is feeling or what it’s like to be in their situation. However, others distinguish the two terms by emphasizing the importance of having empathy for others (feeling their pain) as opposed to having sympathy for them (feeling sorry for them).
Example: I’ve experienced the same thing, so I have sympathy for them.
Where does sympathy come from?
The first records of the word sympathy come from the late 1500s. It comes from the Greek sympátheia, from sym-, “with,” and páth(os), “suffering.”
Sympathy can refer to the sharing of any emotion, or even agreement in preferences or tastes. But we usually use the word sympathy specifically to mean the sharing of feelings of sadness with others. When we give someone a card that expresses our condolences after the death of a loved one, we call this a sympathy card. We usually give these cards to people when we didn’t know the person who died as well as they did—we may feel sad because they’re sad, but our level of grief does not match their own.
While having sympathy for someone often means pitying them or feeling bad for them, having empathy often means feeling or attempting to feel and understand exactly how a person feels and what it’s like to be them.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to sympathy?
- sympathetic (adjective)
- sympathize (verb)
What are some synonyms for sympathy?
What are some words that share a root or word element with sympathy?
What are some words that often get used in discussing sympathy?
What are some words sympathy may be commonly confused with?
How is sympathy used in real life?
Sympathy is often used in contexts involving the suffering and grief of others.
If you don’t have an ounce of sympathy, empathy, or kindness you should NOT be able to work in the medical field
— Tahira (@twinklytea) September 3, 2020
It blows my mind that people support known abusers consistently and then wonder why other victims of abuse don’t come forward. The fact that abusers that have been outed still have significant support invalidates any sympathy for their victims. Plain and simple.
— jon (@jonquilfreedman) August 10, 2018
We are deeply saddened to hear that former player Alan Hercher passed away earlier today. Alan played for Ross County between 1984-86.
Our sincere sympathy and heartfelt condolences go out to the family at this difficult time. RIP Herchie. pic.twitter.com/sM74rLynhn
— Ross County FC (@RossCounty) August 10, 2018
Try using sympathy!
Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of sympathy?
A. commiseration
B. compassion
C. indifference
D. pity
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