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
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Recent Examples of sympathetic
Each day brings more permanent residents, arriving in black hearses trailing solemn convoys of hazard-flashing cars to a place still served by generations of locals who cut granite memorials or pour sympathetic whiskeys.
—
Chris Kenning, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025
Some shows have taken a more sympathetic approach.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025
Also, what a great thing to get to be a sweet, sympathetic character at the end who also can’t forgive himself.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
What’s been lost While wanting a juvenile jail in Mecklenburg County again, Merriweather is sympathetic to McFadden.
—Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sympathetic
Chris Kenning, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025
Some shows have taken a more sympathetic approach.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025
Also, what a great thing to get to be a sweet, sympathetic character at the end who also can’t forgive himself.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
What’s been lost While wanting a juvenile jail in Mecklenburg County again, Merriweather is sympathetic to McFadden.
—Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sympathetic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sympathetic
Adjective
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Here, the researchers recommend a multidisciplinary, compassionate approach to NCGS intervention.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Oct. 2025
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Clear goals, tracking, & communication between local agencies create a lasting, compassionate and impactful response to support the most vulnerable.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The short war in Cuba gained the United States the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico; turned the nation into a Pacific power; and created beliefs that America was a stern yet benevolent country tasked by Destiny to enforce peace and bring prosperity to the world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Oct. 2025
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Since that time, says Paine, even those fortunate enough to live under benevolent rule have seldom been more than one generation away from yet another dreadful monarch.—
Matthew Redmond,
The Conversation,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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After almost getting run over by two cars in heavy rain, a tiny black kitten was saved by a kind stranger who stopped to help him and ended up taking him home.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
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During high school, Morgan dates Chris (Scott Eastwood), who is magnetic but inconsiderate, and her sister dates Chris’s best friend, Jonah (Dave Franco), who is shy and kind.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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While Wohl’s script is packed to the brim with thoughtful moments of beauty, comedy, and heartbreak, Liberation wouldn’t be nearly as affecting and, sadly, relatable without its stellar cast.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Oct. 2025
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The film tells a quietly amusing story that offers a more-than-realistic dive into one of the most iconic and thoughtful young men in world history – a man who essentially invented modern angst long before the internet existed.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Her initially inexplicable obsession sets the tone for Apple TV’s unusually humane conspiracy thriller.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
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The reasoning behind it is both scientific and humane.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sympathetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sympathetic. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
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