Synonyms of sympathetic

sympathetic

adjective

ˌsim-pə-ˈthe-tik 

1

as in compassionate

having or showing the capacity for sharing the feelings of another

a sympathetic smile

needed a sympathetic listener who would understand her marital woes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• compassionate
• empathetic
• empathic
• understanding
• humane
• gentle
• loving
• affectionate
• benevolent
• commiserative
• warm
• feeling
• perceptive
• gracious
• sensitive
• friendly
• merciful
• kind
• kindly
• magnanimous
• charitable
• considerate
• kindhearted
• pitying
• lenient
• tolerant
• softhearted
• good-natured
• benignant
• congenial
• warmhearted
• bighearted
• tenderhearted
• cordial
• well-disposed
• tender
• genial
• good-tempered
• largehearted
• clement
• ruthful

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unsympathetic
• hard
• callous
• heartless
• insensitive
• inhuman
• obdurate
• unfeeling
• indifferent
• inhumane
• thoughtless
• cold-blooded
• insensate
• aloof
• uninterested
• cool
• inconsiderate
• unthinking
• uncaring
• unfriendly
• coldhearted
• hard-hearted
• ruthless
• pitiless
• merciless
• unloving
• severe
• bigoted
• hostile
• tough
• harsh
• stern
• brutal
• grim
• oppressive
• unaffectionate
• rough
• disagreeable
• unrelenting
• malicious
• virulent
• hateful
• malevolent
• abusive
• spiteful
• surly
• unkind
• mean
• ungentle
• blinkered
• acrimonious
• narrow-minded
• rancorous
• small-minded
• hard-bitten
• hard-boiled
• ill-tempered
• ill-natured

2

as in benevolent

having or marked by sympathy and consideration for others

a sympathetic store manager who let us use the telephone

sympathetic letters from supporters after the disappointing verdict

Synonyms & Similar Words

• compassionate
• benevolent
• kind
• thoughtful
• humane
• gentle
• gracious
• kindly
• friendly
• nice
• kindhearted
• generous
• merciful
• beneficent
• benignant
• good-hearted
• good
• sweet
• attentive
• softhearted
• warmhearted
• pleasant
• tender
• humanitarian
• tenderhearted
• warm
• patient
• considerate
• solicitous
• benign
• mild
• good-natured
• pitying
• affable
• genial
• soft
• cordial
• charitable
• amicable
• liberal
• noble
• tolerant
• lenient
• neighborly
• companionable
• magnanimous
• forgiving
• forbearing
• altruistic
• understanding
• selfless
• unselfish
• good-tempered
• comradely
• philanthropic
• munificent
• unsparing
• brotherly
• openhearted
• clement
• greathearted
• freehanded
• anticruelty
• cruelty-free

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unsympathetic
• cruel
• brutal
• vicious
• savage
• callous
• sadistic
• heartless
• unkind
• inhuman
• ruthless
• truculent
• barbarous
• unfeeling
• brute
• atrocious
• barbaric
• inhumane
• bestial
• brutish
• fiendish
• pitiless
• insensate
• merciless
• insensitive
• severe
• thoughtless
• tough
• hard-hearted
• uncaring
• uncompassionate
• harsh
• cold-blooded
• stern
• grim
• unkindly
• inconsiderate
• unthinking
• malignant
• unsentimental
• wanton
• malicious
• virulent
• mean
• hateful
• malevolent
• spiteful
• ironhearted
• nasty
• malign
• stonyhearted
• uncharitable
• heavy-handed
• hard-boiled
• antihumanitarian

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sympathetic

Fascination around Coppola’s stylish, sympathetic biopic of the Dauphine of France has hardly waned in the 20 years since its release. — Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2026

The allegations from Charles Spencer are damaging for King Charles and the royal family, but speaking to people outside Buckingham Palace on Friday morning, CBS News found many who were sympathetic to the monarch. — Holly Williams, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026

Finally, after flashing his union card and ID, a sympathetic cop lets him in. — Jeff Goodell, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026

And Ric Salinas, who plays Chachalacani, humorously obliges, bringing his Culture Clash vaudeville skills to the role of the sentry who’s caught between the rock of Klion’s tyranny and his fellow feeling for Antíkona’s sympathetic cause. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026