It is easier to sympathize with sorrow than to sympathize with joy.
Source: tatoeba (20685)
Sympathize
Synonyms for "sympathize" (43 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (9)
Verb(4 words)
Strong matches (13)
Noun(3 words)
cotton to
Related words (21)
Noun(2 words)
empathizingfeel for
fall in withfeel forget alongharmonizehit it offinterchangereciprocaterespond tosympathize withweep for
Verb(7 words)
Determiner(1 words)
most feeling
Adjective(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: commiserate, empathize, accord, agree, agree with.
- Sentence evidence is available for sympathize, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse.
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 "sympathize".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "sympathize"
Keep "sympathize" 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 "sympathize" 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 "sympathize", 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 "sympathize" 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
9 entriesaffective responsecompassionatecondole withexperiencefeelfeel forpitysocial cognitionsympathize with
More specific
5 entriesCollocations
6 entriesexpress sympathyfeel sympathyoffer sympathyshow sympathysympathize withsympathize with others
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
5 entriesTranslations
32 translations across 23 languages.
Ancient Greek
1 entries- συμπαθέω verb (to show sympathy)
Arabic
1 entries- تَعَاطَفَ verb (to show sympathy)
Bulgarian
1 entries- симпатизирам verb (to show sympathy)
Catalan
1 entries- simpatitzar verb (to show sympathy)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 同情 verb (to show sympathy)
Czech
1 entries- soucítit verb (to show sympathy)
Finnish
2 entries- myötäelää verb (to show sympathy)
- tuntea myötätuntoa verb (to show sympathy)
French
2 entries- compatir verb (to show sympathy)
- s'apitoyer verb (to show sympathy)
Galician
1 entries- simpatizar verb (to show sympathy)
German
1 entries- mitfühlen verb (to show sympathy)
Greek
1 entries- συμπάσχω verb (to show sympathy)
Hebrew
1 entries- סִמְפֵּת verb (to show sympathy)
Hungarian
3 entries- (mély) együttérzést tanúsít verb (to show sympathy)
- együttérez verb (to show sympathy)
- megért verb (to show sympathy)
Italian
1 entries- simpatizzare verb (to show sympathy)
Japanese
1 entries- 同情する verb (to show sympathy)
Latin
3 entries- misereō verb (to show sympathy)
- miserō verb (to show sympathy)
- monstrō compassiōnem verb (to show sympathy)
Malay
1 entries- bersimpati verb (to show sympathy)
Old English
1 entries- efnþrōwian verb (to show sympathy)
Portuguese
2 entries- simpatizar verb (to show sympathy)
- solidarizar-se verb (to show sympathy)
Russian
2 entries- симпатизи́ровать verb (to show sympathy)
- сочу́вствовать verb (to show sympathy)
Serbo-Croatian
2 entries- saosećati verb (to show sympathy)
- suosjećati verb (to show sympathy)
Spanish
1 entries- simpatizar verb (to show sympathy)
Urdu
1 entries- ہَمدَردی کَرنا verb (to show sympathy)
Sample sentences
26 total sentences available.
I couldn't but sympathize with the girl who had lost her parents in the accident.
Source: tatoeba (47163)
I sympathize with you from the bottom of my heart.
Source: tatoeba (268953)
His parents did not sympathize with his hope to become a journalist.
Source: tatoeba (287784)
Showing 4 of 26 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "sympathize"?
Closest matches include commiserate, empathize, accord, agree, agree with.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "sympathize"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.