He's sympathetic to our plan.
Source: tatoeba (294568)
Sympathetic
/ˌsɪm.pəˈθɛt.ɪk/
Synonyms for "sympathetic" (198 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (40)
Strong matches (59)
Adjective(7 words)
compatiblecomprehendingconcordantcondolatorycondolentcondolingcongenialcongruousconnectiveconsiderateconsistentconsolatoryconsolingconsonantcordialcorrelativecorrespondingdecentdelicatedragging
Show 31 more words
Noun(1 words)
Related words (99)
in concertin harmonyin rapportin tuneinfectiousinharmonyirritableitchykindkindheartedkindlykindly-disposedlenientlike mindedlike-mindedlinkinglovingmagneticmagnetizedmelting
Show 67 more words
mercifulmoodnervousniceof good comfortof one mindopenopen-mindedoverrefinedoversensibleoversensitiveovertenderpassiblepeacefulpertainingpertinentpityingpleasantpricklyproportionableproportionalproportionatepullingreassuringreceptivereferablereferringrefinedrelatingrelationalrelativerelievingresponsiveruthfulsensiblesensitivesentimentalsibsimpaticoskittishsoftsoftheartedsupersensitivesupportivesusceptiblesweetsympathizingtactfultendertenderheartedtetchythin skinnedthin-skinnedthoughtfulticklishtogethertouchingtouchytuggingunderstandingunitedwarmwarmheartedwelcomewell-disposedwell-intentionedwell-meaning
Adjective(9 words)
Adverb(1 words)
most common humanity
Noun(1 words)
public sympathy
Interjection(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: accordant, adductive, affectionate, affinitive, agreeable.
- Sentence evidence is available for sympathetic, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, 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 "sympathetic".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "sympathetic"
Keep "sympathetic" 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 "sympathetic" 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 "sympathetic", 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 "sympathetic" 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
6 entriesMore specific
6 entriescompassionate actempathic responsefavorable stancefight or flight responsepro-cause stancepupil dilation
Collocations
5 entriessympathetic earsympathetic gesturesympathetic nervous systemsympathetic responsesympathetic vibration
Inflections
2 entriesmore sympatheticmost sympathetic
Derivations
2 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
9 entriesTranslations
50 translations across 26 languages.
Ancient Greek
1 entries- συμπαθής adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
Bulgarian
3 entries- симпатичен adj (of a person: attracting the liking of others)
- състрадателен adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
- съчувствен adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
Catalan
1 entries- simpàtic adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 同情的 adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
Dutch
1 entries- sympathiek adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
Esperanto
1 entries- simpatia adj (of a person: attracting the liking of others)
Finnish
1 entries- myötätuntoinen adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
French
1 entries- sympathique adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
German
1 entries- mitfühlend adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
Hungarian
4 entries- együttérző adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
- megnyerő adj (of a person: attracting the liking of others)
- rokonszenves adj (of a person: attracting the liking of others)
- rokonszenvező adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
Irish
4 entries- báúil adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
- comhbhraiteach adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
- comhbhách adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
- comhghoilliúnach adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
Italian
1 entries- sensibile adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
Latin
1 entries- misericors adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
Manx
2 entries- co-ennaghtagh adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
- erreeishagh adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
Māori
2 entries- pukuaroha adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
- pūaroha adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
Northern Kurdish
1 entries- sîmpasawî adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
Norwegian Bokmål
1 entries- sympatisk adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
Old English
1 entries- efnþrōwiende adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
Polish
1 entries- współczujący adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
Portuguese
2 entries- simpático adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
- simpático adj (of a person: attracting the liking of others)
Russian
1 entries- сочувствующий adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
Spanish
4 entries- amable adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
- compasivo adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
- comprehensivo adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
- comprensivo adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
Swedish
1 entries- sympatisk adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
Turkish
3 entries- sevimli adj (of a person: attracting the liking of others)
- simpatik adj (of a person: attracting the liking of others)
- şirin adj (of a person: attracting the liking of others)
Unami
1 entries- kwëtamàlsi adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
Yiddish
1 entries- סימפּאַטיש adj (of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy)
Sample sentences
17 total sentences available.
The girl and her parents were very sympathetic.
Source: tatoeba (325733)
A good doctor is sympathetic to his patients.
Source: tatoeba (325826)
Technically, drugs that cause miosis can relieve the PNS effects of those causing mydriasis since sympathetic and parasympathetic stimulation tend to negate each others' effects.
Source: tatoeba (618782)
Showing 4 of 17 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "sympathetic"?
Closest matches include accordant, adductive, affectionate, affinitive, agreeable.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "sympathetic"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.