What does "commiserate" mean?
To feel or express compassion or sympathy for (someone or something).
Commiserate
/kəˈmɪzəɹət/ adj, verb
adj, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To feel or express compassion or sympathy for (someone or something).
- Grammar: commiserate is listed as adj, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: sympathize, ache, be sorry for, bleed.
- Useful contrasts: dismiss, disregard, ignore.
- Usage evidence: I've been through the same drawn-out process as you, so we can commiserate.
How to use "commiserate"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "commiserate" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "commiserate" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "commiserate" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "commiserate" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "commiserate" is acting as adj, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "sympathize" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "commiserate", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To feel or express compassion or sympathy for (someone or something). transitive
"A few individuals who commiserated the unhappy condition of British negro slaves."
- 2 to feel or express sympathy or compassion wordnet
- 3 To sympathize; condole. intransitive
- 4 To offer condolences jointly with; express sympathy with. ambitransitive
Adjective
- 1 Commiserating, pitying, lamentful. not-comparable, obsolete, rare
"In the time of Gregory Nazianzene, if we may credit ecclesiastical records, there sprung up the direfulest mortality in Rome that mankind hath been acquainted with; scarce able were the living to bury the dead, and not so much but their streets were digged up for graves, which this holy Father (with no little commiserate heart-bleeding) beholding, commanded all the clergy (for he was at that time their chief bishop) to assemble in prayer and supplications, and deal forcingly beseeching with God, to intermit his fury and forgive them."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"I've been through the same drawn-out process as you, so we can commiserate."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "commiserate"?
Common synonyms include: sympathize, ache, be sorry for, bleed, bleed for, comfort.
How do you use "commiserate" in a sentence?
I've been through the same drawn-out process as you, so we can commiserate.
How do you pronounce "commiserate"?
Pronounced /kəˈmɪzəɹət/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From commiserātus, the perfect passive participle of commiseror.
Etymology 2
From the above adjective, see at -ate for more.