pity implies tender or sometimes slightly contemptuous sorrow for one in misery or distress.
felt pity for the captives
compassion implies pity coupled with an urgent desire to aid or to spare.
treats the homeless with great compassion
commiseration suggests pity expressed outwardly in exclamations, tears, or words of comfort.
murmurs of commiseration filled the loser's headquarters
condolence applies chiefly to formal expression of grief to one who has suffered loss.
expressed their condolences to the widow
sympathy often suggests a tender concern but can also imply a power to enter into another's emotional experience of any sort.
went to my best friend for sympathy
in sympathy with her desire to locate her natural parents
Example Sentences
She went to her best friend for sympathy. Letters of sympathy were sent to the families of the victims. My deepest sympathies go out to the families of the victims. Our sympathies are with them. There was no sympathy between them.
Recent Examples on the WebThere was some sympathy for Elizabeth and the circumstances she was born under and then thrust into.The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Sep. 2022 There was some sympathy for the Elizabeth and the circumstances she was born under and then thrust into. Cara Anna, Danica Coto And Rodney Muhumuza, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Sep. 2022 But the couple won sympathy in summer 1999 when it was revealed that Raisa Gorbachev was dying of leukemia.The Salt Lake Tribune, 30 Aug. 2022 But the couple won sympathy in summer 1999 when it was revealed that Raisa Gorbachev was dying of leukemia. Jim Heintz, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Aug. 2022 But the couple won sympathy in summer 1999 when it was revealed that Raisa Gorbachev was dying of leukemia.Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2022 Up there, the 59-year-old delivered a few quick, self-deprecating lines, courting the sympathy of the young crowd below. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 30 Aug. 2022 But the couple won sympathy in summer 1999 when it was revealed that Raisa Gorbachev was dying of leukemia. Jim Heintz, ajc, 30 Aug. 2022 Another worker, recently fired, sets up a personal protest camp in front of the firm’s factory, thus earning the sympathy of the security guard. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Latin sympathia, from Greek sympatheia, from sympathēs having common feelings, sympathetic, from syn- + pathos feelings, emotion, experience — more at pathos
ADJECTIVE | VERB + SYMPATHY | SYMPATHY + VERB | PREPOSITION | PHRASESADJECTIVE➤considerable, deep, genuine, great, heartfelt, real, strong相當大的/深深的/真心的/極大的/由衷的/真誠的/強烈的同情▸➤little, scant (especially BrE) 少得可憐的/微乎其微的同情▸➤general, popular, public, widespread普遍的/大眾的/公眾的/廣泛的同情▸➤human人類的同情心◇a total lack of human sympathy毫無人類的同情心VERB + SYMPATHY➤feel, find, have懷有/找到/擁有同情◇She seemed to feel some sympathy for the patients.她似乎有些同情這些病人。◇It's hard to find any sympathy for such an evil man.很難對這樣邪惡的人懷有同情。➤express, extend, give sb, offer (sb), show (sb)表達同情;致以慰問;給予某人同情;向(某人)表示同情◇She expressed her deepest sympathy for him.她向他表達了最深切的問候。◇We extend our sympathy to the families of the victims.我們向遇難者家屬致以慰問。◇She says I haven't given her enough sympathy.她說我沒有充分體諒她。➤waste浪費同情心▸➤demand, want需要/想要同情◇I don't want your sympathy!我不想要你的同情!➤look for尋求同情◇I'm not looking for sympathy.我不是在尋求同情。➤deserve, need值得/需要同情▸➤arouse, attract, create, earn, elicit, engage, evoke, gain, generate, get, win引起/激起/引發/贏得/勾起/激發/喚起/獲得/引來/得到/博得同情◇Their plight aroused considerable public sympathy.他們的困境引起了公眾廣泛的同情。◇He didn't get much sympathy from anyone.沒有人給予他很多的同情。➤lose失去同情SYMPATHY + VERB➤go out to sb, lie with sb同情某人;同情傾注於某人◇Our deepest sympathy goes out to his wife and family.我們對他的妻子和家人表示最深切的同情。◇My sympathy lies with his wife.我同情他的妻子。PREPOSITION➤in sympathy with贊同◇Nurses came out on strike in sympathy with the doctors.護士罷工以聲援醫生。➤out of sympathy出於同情◇She married him more out of sympathy than love.她和他結婚更多的是出於同情,而不是愛。➤with sympathy帶着同情◇Desmond eyed her anguished face with sympathy.德斯蒙德同情地看着她痛苦的臉。➤sympathy for對於⋯的理解◇He has a total lack of sympathy for young people.他一點兒也不理解年輕人。➤sympathy to贊同⋯◇The government showed sympathy to their cause.政府對他們的事業表示了支持。➤sympathy towards/toward對⋯的同情◇He acted with some sympathy towards / toward his victim.他的行為帶着對受他傷害的人的些許同情。➤sympathy with對⋯的同情◇She had every sympathy with him.她對他百般同情。PHRASES➤a feeling of sympathy, a pang of sympathy同情心;一陣同情◇I felt a pang of sympathy for her.我心中突然湧起一陣對她的同情。➤full of sympathy充滿同情▸➤a lack of sympathy缺乏同情➤have every sympathy for sb (especially BrE) 對某人百般同情➤you, they, etc. have my sympathy我同情你、他們等