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compassionate

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adjective com·pas·sion·ate \ kəm-ˈpa-sh(ə-)nət \

Definition of compassionate

1 :having or showing compassion :sympathetic
  • a compassionate friend
  • a compassionate smile
2 :granted because of unusual distressing circumstances affecting an individual —used of some military privileges (such as leave)
  • The soldier was granted compassionate leave following the death of his father.
—

compassionately

adverb
—

compassionateness

noun

See compassionate defined for English-language learners

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Examples of compassionate in a Sentence

  1. a compassionate person by nature

  2. a compassionate smile made the refugees feel a little better

Recent Examples of compassionate from the Web

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'compassionate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of compassionate

see compassion

compassionate Synonyms

Synonyms
beneficent, benevolent, benignant, humane, good-hearted, kind, kindhearted, kindly, softhearted, sympathetic, tender, tenderhearted, warmhearted
Antonyms
atrocious, barbaric, barbarous, bestial, brutal, brute, brutish, callous, cold-blooded, cruel, fiendish, hard-hearted, heartless, inhuman, inhumane, insensate, sadistic, savage, truculent, uncompassionate, unfeeling, unkind, unkindly, unsympathetic, vicious, wanton
Related Words
attentive, considerate, solicitous, thoughtful; affable, amicable, benign, companionable, comradely, cordial, friendly, genial, gentle, good, good-natured, good-tempered, gracious, mild, neighborly, nice, pleasant, sweet, warm; clement, forbearing, forgiving, lenient, merciful, soft; patient, pitying, tolerant, understanding; altruistic, brotherly, charitable, freehanded, generous, greathearted, humanitarian, liberal, magnanimous, munificent, noble, openhearted, philanthropic (also philanthropical), selfless, unselfish, unsparing; anticruelty, cruelty-free
Near Antonyms
ironhearted, merciless, pitiless, ruthless, stonyhearted; inconsiderate, insensitive, thoughtless, uncaring, unthinking; grim, hard-boiled, harsh, heavy-handed, severe, stern, tough, unsentimental; hateful, malevolent, malicious, malign, malignant, mean, nasty, spiteful, virulent; antihumanitarian, uncharitable
2

compassionate

play
verb com·pas·sion·ate \ kəm-ˈpa-shə-ˌnāt \

Definition of compassionate

compassionated; compassionating
transitive verb
:pity
  • … even compassionating those who hold in bondage their fellow men …
  • —John Quincy Adams

Examples of compassionate in a Sentence

  1. a gentle soul who could compassionate even the most reprobate of scoundrels and villains

Origin and Etymology of compassionate

see compassion

compassionate Synonyms

Synonyms
ache (for), bleed (for), commiserate (with), pity, condole (with), feel (for), sympathize (with), yearn (over)
Related Words
care (for); grieve (for), sorrow (for); love; empathize (with), identify (with); tolerate, understand
Near Antonyms
disregard, ignore, neglect, overlook; dislike, hate, scorn

Phrases Related to COMPASSIONATE

Related Phrases

COMPASSIONATE Defined for English Language Learners

compassionate

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adjective

Definition of compassionate for English Language Learners

  • : feeling or showing concern for someone who is sick, hurt, poor, etc. : having or showing compassion

COMPASSIONATE Defined for Kids

compassionate

play
adjective com·pas·sion·ate \ kəm-ˈpa-shə-nət \

Definition of compassionate for Students

:having or showing pity for and desire to help someone

Learn More about compassionate

  1. See words that rhyme with compassionate Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for compassionate Spanish Central: Translation of compassionate Nglish: Translation of compassionate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of compassionate for Arabic speakers

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Examples: compassionate in a Sentence