Word family noun sympathy sympathizer adjective sympathetic ≠ unsympathetic verb sympathize adverb sympathetically
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsympatheticsym‧pa‧thet‧ic /ˌsɪmpəˈθetɪk◂/ ●●○ adjective 1 SYMPATHIZEKINDcaring 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]SUPPORT A PERSON, GROUP, OR PLAN willing to give approval and support to an aim or plansympathetic to/towards Senator Capp is very sympathetic to environmental issues.3 → sympathetic figure/character4 SUITABLEproviding the right conditions for someone OPP hostile a sympathetic environment —sympathetically /-kli/ adverb Jill smiled sympathetically.THESAURUSsympathetic kind to someone who is having problemsMy 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 problemsThe 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 problemsI 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 themI have very caring parents.Most of the nurses are very caring. Examples from the Corpus
sympathetic• Kramer nodded sympathetically.• She listened sympathetically to all our complaints.• Why don't you talk to Elizabeth? She's always sympathetic.• The high point of his campaign came in three lengthy and unscripted television interviews with a sympathetic journalist.• Dr. Williams is such a sympathetic person.• Noticing my embarrassment, the teacher gave me a sympathetic smile.• Both seem sympathetic to pragmatist arguments, but neither has been willing to push abortion as an issue.• Try being a bit more sympathetic towards her -- you might get better results.• My friends were all extremely sympathetic when they heard I'd lost my job.• The other tenured faculty, including those whom Gordon considered marginally sympathetic, would remain quiet or chip in their own criticisms.sympathetic ear• His profession would surely mean that he would listen to my request with a sympathetic ear.• Our sinister cop is able to exploit that weakness by offering a sympathetic ear.• I dread having to go through the sympathetic ear act, even when it's merited.• If disaster strikes again, he expects to find a sympathetic ear at the White House.• There had always been a sympathetic ear for her clients, and she longed to pour out all her troubles right away.• The general wards were packed with acute cases and, although I received a sympathetic ear, no one really wanted to know.• For all of its own bureaucratic strictures, the diplomatic corps had the sympathetic ears that Liang was looking for.• She offers advice, information and sometimes just a sympathetic ear to worried pet owners of Cleveland.sympathetic to/towards• Some experts claim that a heel-and-toe weighted club is more sympathetic to a mishit.• He was always very sympathetic to anyone's need for a holiday.• However, the company is not sympathetic to climbing, and should you encounter access problems contact me immediately.• While he is extremely compassionate and sympathetic to her plight, he can not free her before a trial.• Most of the off-farm employment was rural with employers being sympathetic to occasional emergency demands from the farm.• The murder had been a particularly horrible one, and no one felt sympathetic towards the murderer.• Initially I was appalled by the Princes' racism, but I ended up being very sympathetic to them.• Regular perusal will make clear which journalists might be most sympathetic to your particular style. 