Synonyms of sympathy

sympathy

noun

ˈsim-pə-thē 

1

as in compassion

sorrow or the capacity to feel sorrow for another's suffering or misfortune

since losing her own brother to lung disease, the nurse has had greater sympathy for families going through the same agony

Synonyms & Similar Words

• compassion
• empathy
• feeling
• commiseration
• regret
• kindness
• pity
• condolence
• mercy
• generosity
• understanding
• sensitivity
• affinity
• humanity
• humaneness
• ruth
• rapport
• kindliness
• goodwill
• magnanimity
• altruism
• benevolence
• kindheartedness
• humanitarianism
• benignity
• warmheartedness
• largesse
• softheartedness
• philanthropy
• charity
• largeheartedness
• bigheartedness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• indifference
• callousness
• heartlessness
• cruelty
• insensitivity
• hatred
• unconcern
• hostility
• coldheartedness
• inhumanity
• hard-heartedness
• animosity
• harshness
• antipathy
• dislike

2

as in kindness

the capacity for feeling for another's unhappiness or misfortune

the least you could do is have some sympathy for me if I have to stay home

Synonyms & Similar Words

• kindness
• compassion
• heart
• pity
• feelings
• feeling
• mercy
• generosity
• commiseration
• humanity
• sensitivity
• ruth
• kindliness
• responsiveness
• kindheartedness
• good-heartedness
• affection
• charity
• empathy
• warmheartedness
• regard
• love
• largeheartedness
• softheartedness
• sensibility
• bigheartedness
• affinity
• rapport
• goodwill
• altruism
• humanism
• humaneness
• benevolence
• humanitarianism
• benignity
• philanthropy
• benignancy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• indifference
• inhumanity
• coldness
• disinterest
• cruelty
• callousness
• unconcern
• hatred
• mercilessness
• pitilessness
• hostility
• coldheartedness
• animosity
• hard-heartedness
• harshness
• inhumanness
• antipathy
• dislike

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun sympathy differ from other similar words?

The words affinity and attraction are common synonyms of sympathy. While all three words mean "the relationship existing between things or persons that are naturally or involuntarily drawn together," sympathy implies a reciprocal or natural relation between two things that are both susceptible to the same influence.

two minds in sympathy

When might affinity be a better fit than sympathy?

The meanings of affinity and sympathy largely overlap; however, affinity implies a susceptibility or predisposition on the part of the one drawn.

an affinity for mathematics

When is attraction a more appropriate choice than sympathy?

In some situations, the words attraction and sympathy are roughly equivalent. However, attraction implies the possession by one thing of a quality that pulls another to it.

felt an attraction to danger

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sympathy

Resident Fernando Guzman expressed sympathy for any children who witnessed the discovery. —Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026

Fernando Guzman expressed sympathy for any children who may have witnessed the discovery. —Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 7 Apr. 2026

Faubus, the son of a Socialist, ended up capitulating to Confederate sympathies, as many segregationist Southern Democrats did, to appeal to his base. —Daniel Felsenthal, Pitchfork, 4 Apr. 2026

Playing on the sympathy of the owner of the local sawmill, Winston leverages his family’s plight to talk his way into a job. —Francine Prose, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026