sympathize
verb
Simple meaning
To be affected by feelings similar to those of another.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
simpuhthyzSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈsɪmpəθaɪz
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
intransitive
To have, show or express sympathy; to be affected by feelings similar to those of another, in consequence of knowing the person to be thus affected
To feel or express sympathy or compassion
intransitive
To support, favour, have sympathy (with a political cause or movement, a side in a conflict / in an action).
intransitive
To have a common feeling, as of bodily pleasure or pain.
intransitive
To agree; to be in accord; to harmonize.
Share the feelings of; understand the sentiments of
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C2 · Proficient
- Frequency
- Rare
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Related Words
Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.
- understandverb
- hateverb
- desirenoun
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: to have or show or express sympathy
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Keep learning “sympathize” by choosing the kind of practice you need next.
- Practice sentence writingWrite sentences with vocabulary and get instant feedback.
- Practice in contextAnswer short vocabulary questions drawn from real situations.
- Review vocabularyTest your recall and strengthen words over time.
- Practice typingType vocabulary in short rounds that draw from words you've learned and saved.
Want to type words like this one without looking at the keyboard? Each typing round draws from words you've learned, saved or need to review. Follow the free Learn to Type lessons and type your own vocabulary with confidence.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.