Use a brief expression of condolence, such as: "On this sad occasion we grieve with you".
Source: tatoeba (326683)
Condolence
/kənˈdoʊləns/
Synonyms for "condolence" (47 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (10)
Noun(3 words)
Strong matches (14)
Noun(3 words)
Verb(1 words)
Related words (23)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: aid and comfort, assurance, balm, benevolence, clemency.
- Sentence evidence is available for condolence, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "condolence".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "condolence"
Keep "condolence" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "condolence" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "condolence", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "condolence" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
4 entriesMore specific
3 entriescondolence cardcondolence lettercondolence message
Collocations
6 entriescondolence cardcondolence messagedeepest condolencesexpress condolencesoffer condolencessend condolences
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
2 entriesTranslations
46 translations across 30 languages.
Arabic
2 entries- تَأْسِيَة noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
- تَعْزِيَة noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Armenian
1 entries- ցավակցություն noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Azerbaijani
1 entries- başsağlığı noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Belarusian
1 entries- спачува́нне noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Bulgarian
1 entries- съболе́знования noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Catalan
1 entries- condol noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Chinese Mandarin
2 entries- 吊慰 noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
- 哀悼 noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Czech
2 entries- kondolence noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
- soustrast noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Danish
1 entries- kondolence noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Dutch
1 entries- condoleance noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Estonian
2 entries- kaastundeavaldus noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
- kaastunne noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Finnish
2 entries- osanotto noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
- surunvalittelu noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
French
1 entries- condoléances noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
German
1 entries- Kondolenz noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Hungarian
1 entries- részvét noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Italian
1 entries- condoglianze noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Japanese
3 entries- お悔やみ noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
- 哀悼 noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
- 弔意 noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Korean
2 entries- 애도 noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
- 조의 noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Norwegian Bokmål
1 entries- kondolanse noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Polish
1 entries- kondolencje noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Portuguese
2 entries- condolência noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
- pêsame noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Romanian
1 entries- condoleanțe noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Russian
2 entries- соболе́знование noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
- соболе́знования noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Slovak
2 entries- kondolencia noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
- sústrasť noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Spanish
3 entries- condolencia noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
- péname noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
- pésame noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Swedish
1 entries- kondoleans noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Tagalog
3 entries- hingaba noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
- paghihingaba noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
- pakikiramay noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Tashelhit
1 entries- afcad noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Turkish
2 entries- başsağlığı noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
- taziye noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Ukrainian
1 entries- співчуття́ noun (sympathy when someone has died — see also condolences)
Sample sentences
7 total sentences available.
Dan appreciated your letter of condolence.
Source: tatoeba (3932891)
When his wife died, he received dozens of condolence cards.
Source: tatoeba (4117230)
Antonio sent Rima a letter of condolence.
Source: tatoeba (11775427)
Showing 4 of 7 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "condolence"?
Closest matches include aid and comfort, assurance, balm, benevolence, clemency.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "condolence"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.