1
as in benevolent
having or marked by sympathy and consideration for others
a compassionate person by nature
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sympathetic
having or showing the capacity for sharing the feelings of another
a compassionate smile made the refugees feel a little better
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to pity
to have sympathy for
a gentle soul who could compassionate even the most reprobate of scoundrels and villains
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of compassionate
Preston Fore, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
Through the compassionate yet rigorous structures of restorative justice and the generosity of two people who might have spent their lives hating him, Dunne changed course.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2025
Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Yet while 67% of white people who are eligible for PrEP are on it, only 8% eligible Black people are, often citing lack of access to healthcare or to compassionate healthcare.
—Annalisa Merelli, Quartz, 20 Apr. 2023
See All Example Sentences for compassionate
Adjective
Jane Goodall was a pioneer, a tireless advocate and a deeply compassionate conservationist who inspired others to care about primates — and all animals — during a long life well lived, according to tributes from around the world.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
Through the compassionate yet rigorous structures of restorative justice and the generosity of two people who might have spent their lives hating him, Dunne changed course.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
The solution is to shift from empathy to compassionate accountability: Instead of feeling with the person, focus on walking beside them while holding the line.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Yet while 67% of white people who are eligible for PrEP are on it, only 8% eligible Black people are, often citing lack of access to healthcare or to compassionate healthcare.
—Annalisa Merelli, Quartz, 20 Apr. 2023
See All Example Sentences for compassionate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compassionate
Adjective
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As Sergio uncovers that the village’s devotion to Matteo is far from benevolent, his attempt to rescue the boy known as the Angel of Remis ignites the community’s vengeful nature.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
30 Sep. 2025
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Jesus and Belania shriek and thank Christian, who stands there looking like a benevolent fashion angel bestowing them with good luck.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Still, not everyone in the Reddit thread was sympathetic.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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Advertisement As many of the best villains do, Ok-seon has a sympathetic backstory.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But pity the Globes, SAG, Critics Choice and other shows that used to thrive by getting to recognize television’s top new shows before the Emmys.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
19 Sep. 2025
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Twenty-first-century indie shaped the identities of many Millennials, but it’s now often talked about with pitying nostalgia—as the bygone style of hipsters with handlebar mustaches pretending to be countercultural while making easy-listening music for hotel lobbies.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Despite the genre's themes, horror fans describe their community as kind, open-minded, and welcoming.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
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Hearing so many kind words this rapidly leaves Kalkbrenner grateful.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In this melancholy-comic subversion of a rags-to-riches story Karl’s empathetic musings about those less fortunate immigrants foreshadow his subsequent downhill trajectory.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Oct. 2025
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Sadly, our country’s leaders appear to be wholly uninterested in raising more generations of empathetic children, much less helping immigrant children and families to feel safe and welcomed in their new homeland.—
Priscilla Blossom,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Residents in the town of San Rafael have reported a series of attacks from a vicious brown squirrel that sent at least two people to the emergency room, according to the local humane society.—
Mason Leath,
ABC News,
23 Sep. 2025
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His general advice to people attempting to craft humane, precise, and literate prose has scarcely aged, and his own bracing style still informs and delights.—
Ben Yagoda,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Typical eldest daughter characteristics include being responsible, independent, empathic, caring, a perfectionist, stressed and anxious, the Cleveland Clinic notes.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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Instead, children can progress in the game only by getting to know the characters, listening to their stories and practicing empathic actions.—
Ekaterina Muravevskaia,
The Conversation,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Score our favorite new finds, including a brilliantly fun garlic peeler, a thoughtful batter dispenser for pancakes, baked goods, and more, and a genius two-in-one flipper spatula.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
8 Oct. 2025
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In the real world, this could look like strengthening a partnership through thoughtful gestures, receiving a windfall of support from family or finding joy in everyday rituals that suddenly feel sacred.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Compassionate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compassionate. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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