sympathy

noun

sym·​pa·​thy ˈsim-pə-thē 

plural sympathies

1

a

: a feeling or expression of sincere concern for someone who is experiencing something difficult or painful

Sometimes withholding sympathy feels mean, insensitive, and uncaring …

—Wendy Kaminer

A certain amount of sympathy for the genuine problems of a friend is expected.

—Judith Martin

also : the capacity for this

… when we are drawn into a story, it commands our sympathy, however temporarily, for its imaginative vision of the way the world operates.

—Zoë Heller

b

dated : the action of entering into or sharing the feelings or interests of another : empathy sense 1

She literally wept with those who wept, while in tones of peculiar love, sincerity, and firmness, she lauded them for their noble daring, and freely expressed her entire sympathy with them, and likewise with all in the prison-house.

—William Still

As he mellowed into his plaintive history his tears dripped upon the lantern in his lap, and I cried, too, from sympathy.

—Mark Twain

also : the capacity for this

She was possessed of a great power of sympathy, genial, very social, greatly given to the mirth of conversation,—though in talking she would listen much and say but little.

—Anthony Trollope

2

a

: an affinity, association, or relationship between persons or things such that whatever affects one affects the other similarly

Anne, bursting into tears, rushed to the hall door, slammed it until the tins on the porch wall outside rattled in sympathy …

—L. M. Montgomery

European markets are rising in sympathy with foreign peers.

—Briefing.com

b

: mutual or parallel susceptibility or a condition brought about by it

The young woman, whose eyelids were apparently inclined to fall together on the smallest provocation of silence, yawned …, whereupon Gabriel caught the infection and slightly yawned in sympathy.

—Thomas Hardy

c

: unity or harmony in action or effect

Since the mechanics … went on strike, other workers around the country have joined in sympathy, withholding their services to pressure the company.

—Kelvin Chan

When my sister looked at a picture, she would stand at a distance, and then slowly, almost imperceptibly, drift forward, until her nose was right up against the canvas. She examined all of the painting, and then parts of it, her fingers dabbing in sympathy as she studied the brushstrokes.

—David Sedaris

3

a

: inclination to think or feel alike : emotional or intellectual accord

I've always felt some sympathy for Bertrand Russell's advice: 'Say everything in the smallest number of words in which it can be said clearly.'

—Andrew Crumey

b

: feeling of loyalty : tendency to favor or support

widespread sympathy for the striking nurses

… social media posts revealed his Nazi sympathies …

—Zaeem Shaikh

Usage of Empathy and Sympathy

Sympathy is a feeling of sincere concern for someone who is experiencing something difficult or painful. Empathy involves actively sharing in the person's emotional experience. Confusion about the pair of words likely stems from the fact that the word sympathy, which dates to the 16th century, at one time carried both of these meanings. When empathy was coined in the early 20th century it was first applied in contexts of philosophy, aesthetics, and psychology, in which it still has technical use. The common use of empathy known today dates to the mid-20th century.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between sympathy and empathy?

Sympathy is a feeling of sincere concern for someone who is experiencing something difficult or painful. Empathy involves actively sharing in the person’s emotional experience. Sympathy has been in use since the 16th century. It comes ultimately from the Greek sympathēs, meaning “having common feelings, sympathetic,” which was formed from syn- (“with, together with”) and páthos, “experience, misfortune, emotion, condition.” Empathy was modeled on sympathy; it was coined in the early 20th century as a translation of the German Einfühlung (“feeling-in” or “feeling into”), and was first applied in contexts of philosophy, aesthetics, and psychology. Empathy continues to have technical use in those fields that sympathy does not.

What is the difference between sympathy and compassion?

Compassion adds to the emotional experience of sympathy an urgent desire to alleviate the person’s distress. While both sympathy and compassion have been in use for hundreds of years, compassion is more than 200 years older. It dates to the 14th century and ultimately comes from Latin com- and pati, meaning “to bear, suffer.”

What is the difference between sympathy and pity?

Pity and sympathy can both refer to a feeling of sadness and concern for someone who is unhappy or is suffering. Pity also sometimes implies contemptuous sorrow for the person who is in misery or distress—that is, a sense of disapproval and strong dislike. Like sympathy, pity dates to the 14th century. It comes ultimately from Latin pius, meaning “pious”.

Synonyms of sympathy

• compassion
• empathy

Choose the Right Synonym for sympathy

attraction, affinity, sympathy mean the relationship existing between things or persons that are naturally or involuntarily drawn together.

attraction implies the possession by one thing of a quality that pulls another to it.

felt an attraction to danger

affinity implies a susceptibility or predisposition on the part of the one drawn.

an affinity for mathematics

sympathy implies a reciprocal or natural relation between two things that are both susceptible to the same influence.

two minds in sympathy

pity, compassion, commiseration, condolence, sympathy mean the act or capacity for sharing the painful feelings of another.

pity implies tender or sometimes slightly contemptuous sorrow for one in misery or distress.

felt pity for the captives

compassion implies pity coupled with an urgent desire to aid or to spare.

treats the homeless with great compassion

commiseration suggests pity expressed outwardly in exclamations, tears, or words of comfort.

murmurs of commiseration filled the loser's headquarters

condolence applies chiefly to formal expression of grief to one who has suffered loss.

expressed their condolences to the widow

sympathy often suggests a tender concern but can also imply a power to enter into another's emotional experience of any sort.

went to my best friend for sympathy

in sympathy with her desire to locate her natural parents

Examples of sympathy in a Sentence

She went to her best friend for sympathy.

Letters of sympathy were sent to the families of the victims.

My deepest sympathies go out to the families of the victims.

Our sympathies are with them.

There was no sympathy between them.

Recent Examples on the Web

One rendition of the story even displays a little sympathy for the devil, as Jennings shares. —JSTOR Daily, 31 Oct. 2025

Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. —Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025

During the recent government shutdown, some Republicans in Congress have expressed sympathy for the roughly seven hundred and thirty thousand federal employees who have been performing essential public services without pay. —Eyal Press, New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2025

After sharing his story online, commenters expressed sympathy for the boy’s situation, calling his father’s behavior selfish and neglectful. —Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin sympathia, from Greek sympatheia, from sympathēs having common feelings, sympathetic, from syn- + pathos feelings, emotion, experience — more at pathos

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing sympathy

• sympathy strike
• tea and sympathy

Kids Definition

sympathy

noun

sym·​pa·​thy ˈsim-pə-thē 

plural sympathies

1

: a relationship between persons or things in which whatever affects one also affects the other

2

a

: the readiness to think or feel alike that makes for a common bond

b

: readiness to favor or support

3

: the act of or capacity for entering into or sharing the feelings or interests of another

4

: a showing of sorrow for another's loss, grief, or misfortune

Medical Definition

sympathy

noun

sym·​pa·​thy ˈsim-pə-thē 

plural sympathies

1

a

: an affinity, association, or relationship between persons or things wherein whatever affects one similarly affects the other

b

: mutual or parallel susceptibility or a condition brought about by it

2

a

: the act or capacity of entering into or sharing the feelings or interests of another

b

: the feeling or mental state brought about by such sensitivity