sym·pa·thet·ic
ˌsim-pə-ˈthe-tik 
1
: existing or operating through an affinity, interdependence, or mutual association
2
a
: appropriate to one's mood, inclinations, or disposition
b
: marked by kindly or pleased appreciation
the biographer's approach was sympathetic
3
: given to, marked by, or arising from sympathy, compassion, friendliness, and sensitivity to others' emotions
a sympathetic gesture
4
: favorably inclined : approving
not sympathetic to the idea
5
a
: showing empathy
b
: arousing sympathy or compassion
a sympathetic role in the play
6
a
: of or relating to the sympathetic nervous system
b
: mediated by or acting on the sympathetic nerves
7
: relating to musical tones produced by sympathetic vibration or to strings so tuned as to sound by sympathetic vibration
: a sympathetic structure
especially
: sympathetic nervous system
Synonyms
Examples of sympathetic in a Sentence
Adjective
He received much help from sympathetic friends.
I didn't find the hero in the movie very sympathetic.
Recent Examples on the Web
Paul Kitagaki Jr., Sacramento Bee, 24 Apr. 2024
For more, check out David Stenn’s superb, deeply sympathetic biography Clara Bow: Runnin’ Wild.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 19 Apr. 2024
The dispute could eventually make its way to the Supreme Court, where SpaceX might receive a sympathetic hearing from the conservative super-majority.
—Eyal Press, The New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2024
Although the political opposition has tried to paint Mr. Modi as weak in the face of Chinese encroachment, the border incursions are unlikely to hurt him much politically, given the lack of news coverage from a largely sympathetic Indian media.
—Sameer Yasir, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2024
Disturbingly, members of Hamas and sympathetic clerics kept citing an Islamic war-fighting doctrine from Surat Al Anfal in the Quran, Ayah 15 and 16, that prohibits turning one’s back to the enemy when facing them on the battlefield.
—Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
Likewise, Blake Fielder-Civil, Winehouse husband, inspiration and object of her addictive obsession, gets a little reputation rehab here too thanks to a quite sympathetic portrait from the script and Jack O’Connell’s charismatic performance.
—Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2024
In the meantime, many baby boomers are sympathetic to what the younger generations are up against.
—Laurel Wamsley, NPR, 18 Apr. 2024
But many other analysts expect the court to be sympathetic to concerns about the expansion of prosecutorial power and to rule against the government.
—Ann E. Marimow, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2024
Fox News, 3 Mar. 2023
Prelogar said states can file suits in numerous jurisdictions, searching for a judge sympathetic to their cause.
—Dallas News, 29 Nov. 2022
As Jason McBride notes in his sympathetic and carefully rendered new biography of Acker, Eat Your Mind, it’s easy to see Acker and her work as a relic of a lost world.
—Laura Tanenbaum, The New Republic, 13 Jan. 2023
Stringed instruments, with their capability for sweeping legato movement between pitches, are the instruments most akin to the human voice, and thus most relatable and sympathetic to our innermost vibrations.
—Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2022
There are surely many people of all groups who are not especially interested in or sympathetic to scientists treating them as objects of study.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 13 July 2012
The most famous British royal sympathetic to the Nazis was King Edward III, who abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson.
—Town & Country, 18 Nov. 2022
No, Heather was not being particularly (or even slightly) sympathetic in that moment.
—Scott D. Pierce, The Salt Lake Tribune, 26 Oct. 2022
Would the Democratic-aligned, or the Democratic-sympathetic, or the mainstream media, have told their voters, listeners, or readers that the election was stolen?
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2022
Adjective
The barricaded building is surrounded by sympathetic demonstrators, who have filled the quad with messages calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
—Paul Kitagaki Jr., Sacramento Bee, 24 Apr. 2024
For more, check out David Stenn’s superb, deeply sympathetic biography Clara Bow: Runnin’ Wild.
—Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 19 Apr. 2024
The dispute could eventually make its way to the Supreme Court, where SpaceX might receive a sympathetic hearing from the conservative super-majority.
—Eyal Press, The New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2024
Although the political opposition has tried to paint Mr. Modi as weak in the face of Chinese encroachment, the border incursions are unlikely to hurt him much politically, given the lack of news coverage from a largely sympathetic Indian media.
—Sameer Yasir, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2024
Disturbingly, members of Hamas and sympathetic clerics kept citing an Islamic war-fighting doctrine from Surat Al Anfal in the Quran, Ayah 15 and 16, that prohibits turning one’s back to the enemy when facing them on the battlefield.
—Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
Likewise, Blake Fielder-Civil, Winehouse husband, inspiration and object of her addictive obsession, gets a little reputation rehab here too thanks to a quite sympathetic portrait from the script and Jack O’Connell’s charismatic performance.
—Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2024
In the meantime, many baby boomers are sympathetic to what the younger generations are up against.
—Laurel Wamsley, NPR, 18 Apr. 2024
But many other analysts expect the court to be sympathetic to concerns about the expansion of prosecutorial power and to rule against the government.
—Ann E. Marimow, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2024
Noun
His faith was increasingly at odds with national sentiment after King Charles I, an Anglican sympathetic to Roman Catholicism, gained the throne in 1625.
—Fox News, 3 Mar. 2023
Prelogar said states can file suits in numerous jurisdictions, searching for a judge sympathetic to their cause.
—Dallas News, 29 Nov. 2022
As Jason McBride notes in his sympathetic and carefully rendered new biography of Acker, Eat Your Mind, it’s easy to see Acker and her work as a relic of a lost world.
—Laura Tanenbaum, The New Republic, 13 Jan. 2023
Stringed instruments, with their capability for sweeping legato movement between pitches, are the instruments most akin to the human voice, and thus most relatable and sympathetic to our innermost vibrations.
—Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2022
There are surely many people of all groups who are not especially interested in or sympathetic to scientists treating them as objects of study.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 13 July 2012
The most famous British royal sympathetic to the Nazis was King Edward III, who abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson.
—Town & Country, 18 Nov. 2022
No, Heather was not being particularly (or even slightly) sympathetic in that moment.
—Scott D. Pierce, The Salt Lake Tribune, 26 Oct. 2022
Would the Democratic-aligned, or the Democratic-sympathetic, or the mainstream media, have told their voters, listeners, or readers that the election was stolen?
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sympathetic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Sympathetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sympathetic. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
sympathetic
1 of 2 adjective
sym·pa·thet·ic
ˌsim-pə-ˈthet-ik
1
: of or relating to the sympathetic nervous system
2
: mediated by or acting on the sympathetic nerves
sympathetic
2 of 2 noun
: a sympathetic structure
especially
: sympathetic nervous system
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