Sympathize

Origin

French sympathiser

Full definition of sympathize

Verb

1. To show sympathy; to be affected by feelings similar to those of another, in consequence of knowing the person to be thus affected.
• AddisonTheir countrymen ... sympathized with their heroes in all their adventures.
2. To have a common feeling, as of bodily pleasure or pain.
• BuckminsterThe mind will sympathize so much with the anguish and debility of the body, that it will be too distracted to fix itself in meditation.
3. To agree; to be in accord; to harmonize.

Usage notes

Used similarly to empathize, interchangeably in looser usage. In stricter usage, empathize is stronger and more intimate, while sympathize is weaker and more distant; see .

Further, the general “agree, accord” sense of sympathize is not shared with empathize.