sympathy
[noun]
Synonyms:
- compassion, commiseration, pity, understanding
- agreement, affinity, fellow feeling, rapport

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Antonyms: antipathy
Contrasted words: disinterest, unconcern
Related Words: responsiveness, sensitivity, feelings, heart, tenderness, warmheartedness, warmth, benignancy, benignness, kindliness, kindness

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

sym‧pa‧thy W3 /ˈsɪmpəθi/ noun (plural sympathies)
[Word Family: noun: sympathy, sympathizer; verb: sympathize; adverb: sympathetically; adjective: sympathetic ≠ unsympathetic]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: sympathia, from Greek sympatheia, from sympathes 'sharing feelings, sympathetic', from syn- ( ⇒ syn-) + pathos 'feelings']

1. [plural, uncountable] the feeling of being sorry for someone who is in a bad situation
sympathy for
I have a lot of sympathy for her; she had to bring up the children on her own.
I have absolutely no sympathy for students who get caught cheating in exams.
Our sympathies are with the families of the victims.

2. [plural, uncountable] belief in or support for a plan, idea, or action, especially a political one
in sympathy with something
Willard is in sympathy with many Green Party issues.
Her sympathies lie firmly with the Conservative Party.
Communist/Republican/left-wing etc sympathies
Matheson is known for his pro-socialist sympathies.
sympathy with/for
Sullivan expressed sympathy for the striking federal workers.

3. [uncountable] a feeling that you understand someone because you are similar to them:
There was no personal sympathy between them.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

sympathy
noun
ADJ. considerable, deep, genuine, great, heartfelt, real | scant | general, popular, public, widespread
VERB + SYMPATHY be full of, feel, have She seemed to feel some sympathy for the patients.
express, extend, give sb, offer (sb), show (sb) She expressed her deepest sympathy for him. She says I haven't given her enough sympathy. We extend our sympathy to the families of the victims.
expend, waste | demand, want I don't want your sympathy!
deserve | arouse, attract, earn, elicit, engage, evoke, excite, gain, get, rouse, win Their plight aroused considerable public sympathy. He didn't get much sympathy from anyone.
lose
SYMPATHY + VERB go out to sb, lie with sb Our deepest sympathy goes out to his wife and family. My sympathy lies with his wife.
PREP. in ~ with Nurses came out on strike in sympathy with the doctors.
out of ~ She married him more out of sympathy than love.
with ~ Desmond eyed her anguished face with sympathy.
~ for He has a total lack of sympathy for young people.
~ to The government showed sympathy to their cause.
~ towards He acted with some sympathy towards his victim.
~ with She had every sympathy with him.
PHRASES a feeling of sympathy, full of sympathy, have every/little sympathy for sb, a lack of sympathy, a pang of sympathy I felt a pang of sympathy for her.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

sympathy

have/feel sympathy for somebody
It’s hard not to feel sympathy for the losing team.
express/offer (your) sympathy
Everyone there expressed their sympathy.
get sympathy from somebody
I thought at least I’d get some sympathy from you.
deserve sympathy
He doesn't deserve any sympathy - it's his own fault.
play on sb’s sympathy (=make someone feel sorry for you in order to get an advantage for yourself)
If that doesn’t work, she knows how to play on his sympathy.
expect sympathy
I know I can’t expect any sympathy from her!
deep/deepest sympathy (=used when someone is upset after a death)
We'd like to offer our deepest sympathy to Hilda and her family.
great sympathy
I have great sympathy for the people affected by the housing crisis.
a message/letter of sympathy
We are grateful for all the messages of sympathy we have received.
an expression of sympathy
I murmured an expression of sympathy.
have every sympathy for somebody (=feel very sorry for someone - often used when you have had a similar experience yourself)
I have every sympathy for people who find it hard to give up smoking.
you have my sympathy (=used when saying that you feel sorry for someone)
It must be difficult – you have my sympathy.
extend your sympathy to somebody formal (=express sympathy)
I’d like to extend my deepest sympathy to the victim’s family.
my/our sympathy goes out to somebody formal (=used to formally express sympathy)
Our sympathy goes out to Peggy in her great loss.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲