sympathy

[ sim-puh-thee ]

noun

, plural sym·pa·thies.

1. 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.

2. 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

3. sympathies,
   1. feelings or impulses of compassion:

      The mayor extends her deepest sympathies to all those affected by the bridge collapse.

   2. feelings of favor, support, or loyalty:

      It's hard to tell where your sympathies lie.

4. favor or approval:

   He viewed the plan with sympathy and publicly backed it.

5. agreement, consonance, or accord:

   It's difficult not to have some sympathy with the sentiments expressed.

6. Psychology. a relationship between persons in which the condition of one induces a parallel or reciprocal condition in another.
7. Physiology. the relation between parts or organs whereby a condition or disorder of one part induces some effect in another.

adjective

1. 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

1. the sharing of another's emotions, esp of sorrow or anguish; pity; compassion
2. an affinity or harmony, usually of feelings or interests, between persons or things

   to be in sympathy with someone

3. mutual affection or understanding arising from such a relationship; congeniality
4. 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
5. sometimes plural a feeling of loyalty, support, or accord, as for an idea, cause, etc
6. 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

Origin of sympathy¹

First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin sympathīa, from Greek sympátheia, equivalent to sympathe-, stem of sympathḗs “sympathetic” ( sym- sym- + páth(os) “suffering, sensation” + -ēs adjective suffix) + -ia -y ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of sympathy¹

C16: from Latin sympathīa, from Greek sumpatheia, from sumpathēs, from syn- + pathos suffering

Synonym Study

Sympathy, compassion, pity, empathy all denote the tendency, practice, or capacity to share in the feelings of others, especially their distress, sorrow, or unfulfilled desires. Sympathy is the broadest of these terms, signifying a general kinship with another's feelings, no matter of what kind: in sympathy with her yearning for peace and freedom; to extend sympathy to the bereaved. Compassion implies a deep sympathy for the sorrows or troubles of another coupled to a powerful urge to alleviate the pain or distress or to remove its source: to show compassion for homeless refugees. Pity usually suggests a kindly, but sometimes condescending, sorrow aroused by the suffering or ill fortune of others, often leading to a show of mercy: tears of pity for war casualties; to have pity on a thief driven by hunger. Empathy most often refers to a vicarious participation in the emotions, ideas, or opinions of others, the ability to imagine oneself in the condition or predicament of another: empathy with those striving to improve their lives; to feel empathy with Hamlet as one watches the play.

Example Sentences

Our hosts have plenty of sympathy for the Dodgers, a consistently great team whose time should be now.

From FiveThirtyEight

All expressed sympathy for Mallott’s family, given his recent death, and acknowledged that he can no longer tell his side of the story.

From ProPublica

I’m not asking for sympathy, but I don’t think people appreciate the fact that when you can’t walk down the street, you’re going friend or foe.

From Ozy

I’m not asking for sympathy here, but when someone thinks that you don’t care or that you don’t have the best intentions.

From Ozy

My deepest sympathy goes out to everyone who has lost a loved one and my prayers are with those who are ill or suffering.

From Fortune

In the view of some cops, perps merit little concern or sympathy.

From The Daily Beast

But among ferocious ideologues, similar roots are no guarantee of mutual sympathy when schisms occur.

From The Daily Beast

It would appear that when it came to the bottom line, Washington was not overflowing with sympathy.

From The Daily Beast

In southern Turkey, some local officials in his Justice and Development Party (AKP) express sympathy for ISIS.

From The Daily Beast

She did not weep on cue in public when Monteith died, or seek sympathy.

From The Daily Beast

He turned his eyes upon her; but no sympathy was in their beams; no belief in the semblance of her tears.

From Project Gutenberg

She fancied there was a sympathy of thought and taste between them, in which fancy she was mistaken.

From Project Gutenberg

The feeling for the tiny things probably has in it the warmth of a young personal sympathy.

From Project Gutenberg

Tony, less self-centred, less rigidly contained, had penetrated her by an understanding sympathy greater than his own.

From Project Gutenberg

The gray eyes, once flashing with the light of kindly humor, now softened with sympathy, now glowed with pity.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• compassion
• empathy
• kindness
• pity
• sensitivity
• understanding
• warmth

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?

• commiseration
• sensitivity
• compassion
• pity
• tenderness

What are some words that share a root or word element with sympathy? 

• pathos
• pathetic
• apathy
• symmetry

What are some words that often get used in discussing sympathy?

• feel
• feeling
• emotion
• care
• kindness
• card
• condolence
• victim
• support

What are some words sympathy may be commonly confused with?

• empathy

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