sympatheticsym‧pa‧thet‧ic /ˌsɪmpəˈθetɪk◂/ ●●○ adjective 
a sympathetic friend a sympathetic attitudesympathetic to/towards I’m sympathetic to parents who are worried about what their children see on television. We hope always to provide a friendly sympathetic ear (=someone willing to listen to someone else’s problems).► see thesaurus at kind2[not before noun] willing to give approval and support to an aim or plansympathetic to/towards Senator Capp is very sympathetic to environmental issues.3sympathetic figure/character literary someone in a book, play etc who most people like4providing the right conditions for someone OPP hostile: a sympathetic environment—sympathetically /-kli/ adverb: Jill smiled sympathetically.THESAURUSsympathetic kind to someone who is having problems: · My friends were very sympathetic when I lost my job.· Jill was a very sympathetic listener.· a sympathetic attitudecompassionate wanting to help people who are suffering or having problems: · The doctor was a compassionate man who always acted in his patients’ best interests.understanding not getting angry with someone or criticizing them, because you can see that they have problems: · I have had a lot of time off work, but my boss is very understanding.· an understanding lookcaring caring about other people’s feelings and wanting to help them: · I have very caring parents.· Most of the nurses are very caring.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Dr. Williams is such a sympathetic person.
- Kramer nodded sympathetically.
- My friends were all extremely sympathetic when they heard I'd lost my job.
- Noticing my embarrassment, the teacher gave me a sympathetic smile.
- She listened sympathetically to all our complaints.
- Try being a bit more sympathetic towards her -- you might get better results.
- Why don't you talk to Elizabeth? She's always sympathetic.
- Both seem sympathetic to pragmatist arguments, but neither has been willing to push abortion as an issue.
- The high point of his campaign came in three lengthy and unscripted television interviews with a sympathetic journalist.
- The other tenured faculty, including those whom Gordon considered marginally sympathetic, would remain quiet or chip in their own criticisms.
THESAURUS
kind to someone who is having problems: · My friends were very sympathetic when I lost my job.· Jill was a very sympathetic listener.· a sympathetic attitude
wanting to help people who are suffering or having problems: · The doctor was a compassionate man who always acted in his patients’ best interests.
not getting angry with someone or criticizing them, because you can see that they have problems: · I have had a lot of time off work, but my boss is very understanding.· an understanding look
caring about other people’s feelings and wanting to help them: · I have very caring parents.· Most of the nurses are very caring.
Longman Language Activatorkind to people who have problems or difficulties if someone is sympathetic when you are having problems, they say kind things to you and show that they feel sad about your situation: · Why don't you talk to Elizabeth? She's always sympathetic.· My friends were extremely sympathetic when they heard I'd lost my job.· Noticing my embarrassment, the teacher gave me a sympathetic smile.
an understanding person is kind and patient when someone has a problem, and does not get angry with them or criticize them: · I'm sorry I've been so bad-tempered lately. Anyway, thank you for being so understanding.· Irene often has to take time off work. Fortunately she has a very understanding boss.
someone who is compassionate wants to help people who are suffering or having problems: · Alice was a compassionate woman who wanted to save children from violence and poverty.· We must try to create a more caring, more compassionate society.
loving and sympathetic, especially so that you want to help people close to you when they are in trouble: · Sharon was lucky to have such caring parents at a time when she needed help.· It is possible for men to be tough and, at the same time, caring and sensitive.
someone who is kind-hearted has a kind and sympathetic character: · Being a kind-hearted woman, she felt sorry for the poor child.· I wouldn't have helped him at all, but then I'm not as kind-hearted as you.
informal someone who will listen sympathetically when you tell them about your problems: · Remember, I'm always here if you need a shoulder to cry on.
someone who is kind and shows sympathy kind to people who are in an unpleasant situation, and ready to comfort them or share their problems: · My friends were all extremely sympathetic when they heard I'd lost my job.· Noticing my embarrassment, the teacher gave me a sympathetic smile.sympathetic to/towards: · Try being a bit more sympathetic towards her -- you might get better results.
sympathetic and patient, even when someone behaves badly, because you understand their problems and feelings: · He's funny, energetic, understanding, and a great teacher.· Irene often has to take time off work. Fortunately she has a very understanding boss.· My parents were wonderfully understanding throughout my divorce.
someone who is compassionate feels a lot of pity for people who are suffering and wants to help them: · The church has inspired countless compassionate men and women to help the needy in times of famine, war, and plague.compassionate to/towards: · Our city has earned a reputation as a place where government is compassionate toward the poor and disadvantaged.
loving and sympathetic, especially so that you want to help people when they are in trouble: · Just because a family has money does not guarantee that the children have responsible and caring parents.· It is possible for men to be tough and, at the same time, caring and sensitive.
someone who will listen sympathetically when you tell them about your troubles: · Remember your mother's always here if you need a shoulder to cry on.· Watt found a sympathetic ear when he described his family's situation to Captain Schiller.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY We hope always to provide a friendly sympathetic ear (=someone willing to listen to someone else’s problems).COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
We hope always to provide a friendly sympathetic ear (=someone willing to listen to someone else’s problems). (=understand an aim, and possibly support it)· They hope the new president will be sympathetic to their cause.
(=one you like)· In the book, Jeff isn’t a sympathetic character.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· I must admit that I was less sympathetic than I should have been.
· And they include cases where a more sympathetic attitude from the lender would be more helpful.· Otherwise I could have brought myself to be more sympathetic.· Historians of the Poor Law have discerned a more sympathetic attitude towards the settled poor and even in respect of removal proceedings.· She reported that since she had left hospital her parents had been more sympathetic towards her.· Resurrected here, he is considerably more sympathetic, and his last four wives wrestle with their feelings for him.· If the school felt it could not cope with Balbinder then maybe he would be better in a more sympathetic environment.· Some experts claim that a heel-and-toe weighted club is more sympathetic to a mishit.
· Cornelius Nepos wrote a most sympathetic sketch of Hannibal.· I guess he'd picked De Gaulle as the most sympathetic and scholarly-looking.· Regular perusal will make clear which journalists might be most sympathetic to your particular style.· You see, even the most sympathetic of employers may not be able to afford to carry on paying you.· Identify the local politicians who are likely to be the most sympathetic.· Gwendolen, still clad in dark blue, was indefatigably marching with the party next to a most sympathetic lady.· Protschka makes a most sympathetic impression.
· He put this to Gina but she was not very sympathetic.· Initially I was appalled by the Princes' racism, but I ended up being very sympathetic to them.· Though very sympathetic and sensitive to the needs of the birth family most adopters did not feel they could cope with contact.· She was very sympathetic, Bern.· Mr and Mrs Wilson had been very sympathetic.· He has a very sympathetic approach to people and to the problems that people have.· Mr. Waldegrave I am very sympathetic to comments like that.· I tried to look very understanding, very sympathetic, but it seemed to frighten him.
NOUN· Charles didn't find many sympathetic characters among the cast.· The reader zooms through the story hoping for a resolution that will satisfy the mystery without sacrificing any of the sympathetic characters.
· His profession would surely mean that he would listen to my request with a sympathetic ear.· For all of its own bureaucratic strictures, the diplomatic corps had the sympathetic ears that Liang was looking for.· The general wards were packed with acute cases and, although I received a sympathetic ear, no one really wanted to know.· If disaster strikes again, he expects to find a sympathetic ear at the White House.· Our sinister cop is able to exploit that weakness by offering a sympathetic ear.· She offers advice, information and sometimes just a sympathetic ear to worried pet owners of Cleveland.· There had always been a sympathetic ear for her clients, and she longed to pour out all her troubles right away.· I dread having to go through the sympathetic ear act, even when it's merited.
· But now he, or she, needs to be an even broader, more sympathetic figure than before.
· It will give you the opportunity to discuss your problems with a sympathetic listener.
· They need a sympathetic response, that is understandable and starts at the beginning.· The droid virtually knew hir life-history now and had made appropriately sympathetic responses.· I recalled those days at school and looked for a sympathetic response.· There was a sympathetic response immediately.
· Nigel and I were, above all, struck by the sympathetic treatment of an area which could so easily be spoiled.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
- But now he, or she, needs to be an even broader, more sympathetic figure than before.
- Charles didn't find many sympathetic characters among the cast.
- The reader zooms through the story hoping for a resolution that will satisfy the mystery without sacrificing any of the sympathetic characters.
- Taler says she tried to offer the student a sympathetic ear.
- For people with mental health problems, a sympathetic ear and understanding is an essential part of their rehabilitation.
- His profession would surely mean that he would listen to my request with a sympathetic ear.
- If disaster strikes again, he expects to find a sympathetic ear at the White House.
- It may be essential for you to have a sympathetic ear if you run into difficulties.
- Our sinister cop is able to exploit that weakness by offering a sympathetic ear.
- She offers advice, information and sometimes just a sympathetic ear to worried pet owners of Cleveland.
- The general wards were packed with acute cases and, although I received a sympathetic ear, no one really wanted to know.
- There had always been a sympathetic ear for her clients, and she longed to pour out all her troubles right away.
- And apart from the information you get, being a good listener helps the other side to relax and have confidence in you.
- Be a good listener and do not demand that children reveal all that they do or think.
- In the Collins family, Kevin was not actually told stories about how he, too, was a good listener.
- It will give you the opportunity to discuss your problems with a sympathetic listener.
- Lady Thatcher never drew breath, while John Major was a good listener.
- People liked her because she was steady, sensible, a good listener.
- Seek not only to be understood but to understand-be a good listener.
- Zach said he was a good listener and that he was a sensitive being.
WORD FAMILYnounsympathysympathizeradjectivesympathetic ≠ unsympatheticverbsympathizeadverbsympathetically
1caring and feeling sorry about someone’s problems: a sympathetic friend a sympathetic attitudesympathetic to/towards I’m sympathetic to parents who are worried about what their children see on television. We hope always to provide a friendly sympathetic ear (=someone willing to listen to someone else’s problems).► see thesaurus at kind2[not before noun] willing to give approval and support to an aim or plansympathetic to/towards Senator Capp is very sympathetic to environmental issues.3sympathetic figure/character literary someone in a book, play etc who most people like4providing the right conditions for someone OPP hostile: a sympathetic environment—sympathetically /-kli/ adverb: Jill smiled sympathetically.THESAURUSsympathetic kind to someone who is having problems: · My friends were very sympathetic when I lost my job.· Jill was a very sympathetic listener.· a sympathetic attitudecompassionate wanting to help people who are suffering or having problems: · The doctor was a compassionate man who always acted in his patients’ best interests.understanding not getting angry with someone or criticizing them, because you can see that they have problems: · I have had a lot of time off work, but my boss is very understanding.· an understanding lookcaring caring about other people’s feelings and wanting to help them: · I have very caring parents.· Most of the nurses are very caring.