1
as in compassionate
having or showing the capacity for sharing the feelings of another
a sympathetic smile needed a sympathetic listener who would understand her marital woes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in benevolent
having or marked by sympathy and consideration for others
a sympathetic store manager who let us use the telephone sympathetic letters from supporters after the disappointing verdict
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sympathetic
Luigi Mangione's alleged assassination of health insurance CEO Brian Thompson might be a tipping point for American capitalism, as for the first time in recent memory, a sizable portion of the population has a sympathetic view of an alleged murderer.
—
K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 27 June 2025
This administration thinks that the people of Tennessee will be sympathetic to their attempt to paint our communities with a wide brush and spin a narrative where immigrants are seen and treated as criminals.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 2025
The regime may even hope that Israel expands its strikes, or aim to draw in the United States, believing that if more Iranian civilians are killed, Iranian society will become more sympathetic toward the country’s only defenders: the regime.
—Afshon Ostovar, Foreign Affairs, 18 June 2025
Iran’s missile strike against a U.S. military base in Qatar was met with near-unanimous rebuke in the Middle East, including from sympathetic powers such as Oman.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for sympathetic
K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 27 June 2025
This administration thinks that the people of Tennessee will be sympathetic to their attempt to paint our communities with a wide brush and spin a narrative where immigrants are seen and treated as criminals.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 2025
The regime may even hope that Israel expands its strikes, or aim to draw in the United States, believing that if more Iranian civilians are killed, Iranian society will become more sympathetic toward the country’s only defenders: the regime.
—Afshon Ostovar, Foreign Affairs, 18 June 2025
Iran’s missile strike against a U.S. military base in Qatar was met with near-unanimous rebuke in the Middle East, including from sympathetic powers such as Oman.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for sympathetic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sympathetic
Adjective
-
Doctor providing compassionate healthcare consultation while young couple patient holding hand, comfort each other after infertile report.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 June 2025
-
Empathy enhances your conversations as Mercury aligns with compassionate Neptune.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
28 June 2025
Adjective
-
The boys play benevolent Nathan Fielder types helping their friend Karli rehearse an upcoming appearance on the popular social-media show SubwayTakes; the prompts she’s presented with in their VR simulator offer a perfect place to nest jokes.—
Hershal Pandya,
Vulture,
26 June 2025
-
Murals across Iran feature his seemingly benevolent white-bearded face.—
Steve Inskeep,
NPR,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
Dortmund was scheduled for a lunchtime and an afternoon kickoff in Cincinnati during the group stage, where the recorded temperatures approached 100F, while temperatures for the Real Madrid clash in New Jersey were a little kinder but still hot at pitch level.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
6 July 2025
-
But use kind humor, not nasty or deprecating humor.—
Davia Temin,
Forbes.com,
6 July 2025
Adjective
-
Fans show up to the Cowboy Carter tour in thoughtful, inventive takes on Western Americana fashion, stadiums filled with denim, bandanas, cowboy hats, and looks that don’t just scream U.S.A but hoot and holler.—
Leah Faye Cooper,
Vogue,
4 July 2025
-
The genre as a whole is widely celebrated for its age-appropriate narratives and emotional depth, and the film has long been praised for its thoughtful portrayal of childhood and growing up.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 July 2025
Adjective
-
In Pip Adam’s extraordinary, humane book Audition, the stars are both a dystopian place and a site of uncharted possibility.—
Robert Rubsam,
The Atlantic,
21 June 2025
-
After relying on his instincts, Cloudy was among the cats captured and brought to the shelter for care, the humane society wrote in a Facebook post.—
Simone Jasper,
Charlotte Observer,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sympathetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sympathetic. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share