sympathize

verb

sym·​pa·​thize ˈsim-pə-ˌthīz 

sympathized; sympathizing

intransitive verb

1

: to be in keeping, accord, or harmony

2

: to react or respond in sympathy

3

: to share in suffering or grief : commiserate

sympathize with a friend in trouble

also : to express such sympathy

4

: to be in sympathy intellectually

sympathize with a proposal

sympathizer noun

Synonyms of sympathize

• pity
• feel (for)
• bleed (for)

Examples of sympathize in a Sentence

I sympathize but how can I help?

Recent Examples on the Web

Coley is an easy character to sympathize with. —Arushi Jacob, Variety, 19 June 2026

McDonnell sympathized with Jameson's family. —Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 18 June 2026

New Jersey governor Mikie Sherrill has been determined to avoid offsetting the costs on to taxpayers, and unsuccessfully called for FIFA to help share the cost burden, and Mamdani sympathizes with her position. —Adam Crafton, New York Times, 16 June 2026

Or perhaps the Black policemen, who often watched the house without their white commanding officer, secretly sympathized with the uprising. —Literary Hub, 16 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for sympathize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize
• butterflies

Kids Definition

sympathize

verb

sym·​pa·​thize ˈsim-pə-ˌthīz 

sympathized; sympathizing

1

: to share in suffering or grief : to feel or show sympathy

2

: to be in favor of something

sympathizer noun