sympathize
/sˈɪmpəθˌaɪz/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.06 in modern English
29
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
3
Syllables
10
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
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 for.
Canadian usage; American usage; Intransitive verb
verb
To support, favour, have sympathy (with a political cause or movement, a side in a conflict / in an action).
Canadian usage; American usage; Intransitive verb
Example Sentences
- "[…] the Authors having chosen for their Heroes Persons who were so nearly related to the People for whom they wrote. Achilles was a Greek, and Aeneas the remote Founder of Rome. By this Means their Countrymen (whom they principally proposed to themselves for their Readers) were particularly attentive to all the Parts of their Story, and sympathized with their Heroes in all their Adventures."
- "Some old people keep young at heart in spite of wrinkles and gray hairs, can sympathize with children’s little cares and joys, make them feel at home, and can hide wise lessons under pleasant plays, giving and receiving friendship in the sweetest way."
- "“I can’t quite sympathise with your mother in all her feelings about this marriage, because I do not think that I recognise as she does the necessity of money.”"
- "The wives were sympathizing with each other in slightly raised voices."
- "‘[…] who is to hunt up my witnesses? All of them are sailors, drafted off to other ships, except those whose evidence would go for very little, as they took part, or sympathised in the affair. […]’"
- "“Whether one sympathises with the agitation for female suffrage or not one has to admit that its promoters showed tireless energy and considerable enterprise in devising and putting into action new methods for accomplishing their ends. […]”"
Etymology
Borrowed from French sympathiser. By surface analysis, sympathy + -ize. Displaced native Old English efnþrōwian (literally “to suffer with or together”).