sympathetic

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌsɪm.pəˈθɛt.ɪk/ See IPA manual

Freq #9722

Meanings

1

adj
Showing that you understand and care about someone's feelings or problems.

She gave me a sympathetic look when I told her the bad news.
2

adj
Likely to make people feel kindly or supportive toward a character or person.

The novel's hero is a warm and sympathetic character.
3

adj
Willing to support or agree with an idea, cause, or person.

The committee was sympathetic to our proposal.
4

adj
Relating to the part of the nervous system that prepares the body for action.

Fear triggers the sympathetic nervous system.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · showing that you understand... charitable

2 adj · likely to make people feel... appealing

Word family

Derived forms antisympatheticcardiosympatheticneurosympatheticnonsympatheticoculosympatheticorthosympatheticoversympatheticparasympatheticperisympatheticpresympatheticsomatosympatheticsympath-

Related forms sympathico-

Appears in

Phrases (4)

See all

sympathetic vibration
vibration caused when an object resonates in response to another vibrating object

Adjective + noun
sympathetic companion
a person whose company feels agreeable because of shared tastes and temperament

Adjective + noun
sympathetic observer
someone watching events with understanding or friendly concern for those involved

Adjective + noun
sympathetic stimulation
activation of the part of the nervous system that prepares the body for action

Adjective + noun

Etymology

Mid 17th century in the sense “relating to an affinity or paranormal influence”, from Latin sympathēticus. By surface analysis, sympathy + -etic (“pertaining to”); compare pathetic. Displaced native Old English efnþrōwiende.

sympathēticus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# sympathetic

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌsɪm.pəˈθɛt.ɪk/
**Frequency rank:** 9722

## Meanings
1. Showing that you understand and care about someone's feelings or problems.
2. Likely to make people feel kindly or supportive toward a character or person.
3. Willing to support or agree with an idea, cause, or person.
4. Relating to the part of the nervous system that prepares the body for action.

## Examples
- She gave me a sympathetic look when I told her the bad news.
- The novel's hero is a warm and sympathetic character.
- The committee was sympathetic to our proposal.
- Fear triggers the sympathetic nervous system.

## Derived Forms
- antisympathetic
- cardiosympathetic
- neurosympathetic
- nonsympathetic
- oculosympathetic
- orthosympathetic
- oversympathetic
- parasympathetic
- perisympathetic
- presympathetic
- somatosympathetic
- sympath-

## Related Forms
- sympathico-

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: sympathēticus

## Etymology
Mid 17th century in the sense “relating to an affinity or paranormal influence”, from Latin sympathēticus. By surface analysis, sympathy + -etic (“pertaining to”); compare pathetic. Displaced native Old English efnþrōwiende.

## AI Etymology
Sympathetic Mid 17th century in the sense “relating to an affinity or paranormal influence”, from Latin sympathēticus. By surface analysis, sympathy + -etic (“pertaining to”); compare pathetic. Displaced native Old English efnþrōwiende. In present-day use, it can mean showing that you understand and care about someone's feelings or problems, or likely to make people feel kindly or supportive toward a character or person.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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