Library / English Dictionary

SYMPATHISE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be understanding of

Example:

You don't need to explain--I understand!

Synonyms:

empathise; empathize; sympathise; sympathize; understand

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

sympathy (an inclination to support or be loyal to or to agree with an opinion)

Sense 2

Meaning:

To feel or express sympathy or compassion

Synonyms:

commiserate; sympathise; sympathize

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "sympathise" is one way to...):

compassionate; condole with; feel for; pity; sympathize with (share the suffering of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "sympathise"):

condole (express one's sympathetic grief, on the occasion of someone's death)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

sympathiser (a person who commiserates with someone who has had misfortune)

sympathy (sharing the feelings of others (especially feelings of sorrow or anguish))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Share the feelings of; understand the sentiments of

Synonyms:

sympathise; sympathize

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "sympathise" is one way to...):

experience; feel (undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

sympathiser (someone who shares your feelings or opinions and hopes that you will be successful)

sympathy (a relation of affinity or harmony between people; whatever affects one correspondingly affects the other)

Credits

 Context examples: 

I desire the company of a man who could sympathise with me, whose eyes would reply to mine.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

I sympathise with her, for I do the same, only Jonathan and I will start in life in a very simple way, and shall have to try to make both ends meet.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

While something in me, he went on, is acutely sensible to her charms, something else is as deeply impressed with her defects: they are such that she could sympathise in nothing I aspired to—co-operate in nothing I undertook.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

He too had his book, and was seeking Fanny, to ask her to rehearse with him, and help him to prepare for the evening, without knowing Miss Crawford to be in the house; and great was the joy and animation of being thus thrown together, of comparing schemes, and sympathising in praise of Fanny's kind offices.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

They loved and sympathised with one another; and their joys, depending on each other, were not interrupted by the casualties that took place around them.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

They were not bound to regard with affection a thing that could not sympathise with one amongst them; a heterogeneous thing, opposed to them in temperament, in capacity, in propensities; a useless thing, incapable of serving their interest, or adding to their pleasure; a noxious thing, cherishing the germs of indignation at their treatment, of contempt of their judgment.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Miss Bertram approved the decision, for the less he had to learn the better; and though she could not sympathise in his wish that the Count and Agatha might be to act together, nor wait very patiently while he was slowly turning over the leaves with the hope of still discovering such a scene, she very kindly took his part in hand, and curtailed every speech that admitted being shortened; besides pointing out the necessity of his being very much dressed, and chusing his colours.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

The lines of her face were hard and rude, like that of persons accustomed to see without sympathising in sights of misery.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

Mr. Brocklehurst, who, from his wealth and family connections, could not be overlooked, still retained the post of treasurer; but he was aided in the discharge of his duties by gentlemen of rather more enlarged and sympathising minds: his office of inspector, too, was shared by those who knew how to combine reason with strictness, comfort with economy, compassion with uprightness.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Henry rejoiced in my gaiety, and sincerely sympathised in my feelings: he exerted himself to amuse me, while he expressed the sensations that filled his soul.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)