Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense sympathizes, present participle sympathizing, past tense, past participle sympathizedregional note: in BRIT, also use sympathise
1. verb
If you sympathize with someone who is in a bad situation, you show that you are sorry for them.
I must tell you how much I sympathize with you for your loss, Professor. [VERB + with]
He would sympathize but he wouldn't understand. [VERB]
2. verb
If you sympathizewith someone's feelings, you understand them and are not critical of them.
He sympathised with her over her frustration at not being chosen for the team. [VERB + with]
He liked Max, and sympathized with his ambitions. [VERB + with]
[Also VERB]
3. verb
If you sympathizewith a proposal or action, you approve of it and are willing to support it.
Most of the people living there sympathized with the guerrillas. [VERB + with]
sympathize in British English
or sympathise (ˈsɪmpəˌθaɪz)
verb(intransitive; often foll bywith)
1.
to feel or express compassion or sympathy (for); commiserate
he sympathized with my troubles
2.
to share or understand the sentiments or ideas (of); be in sympathy (with)
Derived forms
sympathizer (ˈsympaˌthizer) or sympathiser (ˈsympaˌthiser)
noun
sympathize in American English
(ˈsɪmpəˌθaɪz)
verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈsympaˌthized or ˈsympaˌthizing
1.
to share or understand the feelings or ideas of another; be in sympathy
2.
to feel or express sympathy, esp. in pity or compassion; commiserate
3. Rare
to be in harmony or accord
Derived forms
sympathizer (ˈsympaˌthizer)
noun
sympathizingly (ˈsympaˌthizingly)
adverb
Word origin
Fr sympathiser
Examples of 'sympathize' in a sentence
sympathize
`They paid me a fat bonus, and I've been in his place enough times to sympathize.
Wood, Ted FOOLS GOLD (1988)
`I must tell you how much I sympathize with you for your loss, Professor.
Ferrars, Elizabeth THY BROTHER DEATH (1988)
`Look, son," he said gently, `I sympathize with your feelings.
Wilson, Bob GING GANG GOOLIE IT'S AN ALIEN (1988)
In other languages
sympathize
British English: sympathize /ˈsɪmpəˌθaɪz/ VERB
If you sympathize with someone who has had a misfortune, you show that you are sorry for them.
Anyone who has had a similar experience will sympathize with her.