sympathy
SIHM-puhth-ee
Sympathy (noun) means a feeling of pity or sorrow for someone else's suffering or misfortune. Example: “I have a lot of sympathy for anyone stuck in traffic today.”
noun
1
A feeling of pity or sorrow for someone else's suffering or misfortune.
"I have a lot of sympathy for anyone stuck in traffic today."
"She sent a card expressing her sympathy after his father passed away."
"He felt deep sympathy for the flood victims."
2
Shared feeling, agreement, or support for an idea, cause, or person.
"Many of the villagers had sympathy with the campaign to save the library."
"Few people in the audience had any sympathy with his argument."
"The union voiced its sympathy for the striking workers."
How to use sympathy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFeeling sorry for someone, or sharing their feelings and supporting their side.
Common mistake
Not the same as empathy — sympathy is feeling sorry FOR someone, while empathy is understanding what they feel, almost as if from the inside.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
express sympathy
sympathy card
have sympathy for
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Word forms
- Plural
- sympathies
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
I have a lot of _____ for anyone stuck in traffic today.
Etymology
From Greek sympatheia, "fellow feeling," from syn- ("together") + pathos ("feeling").
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for sympathy
See all rhymes for sympathy →Frequently asked questions
What does “sympathy” mean?
The word “sympathy” means a feeling of pity or sorrow for someone else's suffering or misfortune. In plain terms, feeling sorry for someone, or sharing their feelings and supporting their side.
How do you pronounce “sympathy”?
“Sympathy” is pronounced SIHM-puhth-ee (/ˈsɪm.pəθ.i/ in IPA).
How do you use “sympathy” in a sentence?
Here is “sympathy” used in a sentence: “She sent a card expressing her sympathy after his father passed away.”
What is the opposite of “sympathy”?
The opposite of “sympathy” — its antonyms — are apathy, antipathy, dissympathy and contempt.
What part of speech is “sympathy”?
“Sympathy” is a noun.
Where does the word “sympathy” come from?
The word “sympathy” comes from Greek. From Greek sympatheia, "fellow feeling," from syn- ("together") + pathos ("feeling").
Is “sympathy” a common word?
“Sympathy” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “sympathy” have?
“Sympathy” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a feeling of pity or sorrow for someone else's suffering or misfortune.
What is the difference between sympathy and empathy?
Sympathy is feeling pity or sorrow for someone else's suffering, viewed from the outside. Empathy goes further: it is the ability to put yourself in the other person's position and share what they are feeling from within. You can send sympathy to a grieving colleague without claiming to feel their loss yourself.
Is it "sympathy for" or "sympathy with"?
Use "sympathy for" with the pity sense: "I felt great sympathy for the victims." Use "sympathy with" — often "in sympathy with" — for the agreement sense: "I have some sympathy with that argument." The choice of preposition tracks the word's two meanings.
What is the difference between sympathy and compassion?
Sympathy is the feeling of pity or sorrow for another person's misfortune. Compassion typically includes that feeling plus an urge to help relieve the suffering, which is why compassion is more often linked with action.
