compassion
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a feeling of pity and concern for others who are suffering, along with a wish to help them.
n.an empathetic awareness of others' distress combined with a desire to alleviate it. Uncountable in general usage.
Simple“The nurse showed great compassion while caring for the elderly patients.”
In context“The humanitarian organisation was founded on the principle of universal compassion for those displaced by armed conflict.”
Antonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
n.being kind and understanding toward yourself when you suffer or fail.
n.the practice of extending kindness and understanding to oneself during instances of perceived inadequacy or suffering.
Simple“Learning to have compassion for your own mistakes is important for mental health.”
In context“Psychologists often advocate for self-compassion as a healthier alternative to relentless self-criticism in high-pressure environments.”
Synonymsself kindnessAntonymsself criticism - 03 C2 Proficiency
v.to feel sorry for someone.
v.to feel or show pity toward another person. This verbal use is no longer found in contemporary English.
Simple“In the old story, the king began to compassion the poor beggar.”
In context“The poet wrote of how the heavens might compassion the plight of the fallen hero.”
Synonymspitycommiserate
“Lennon told BBC Scotland News that Scottish Labour - which finished joint second with Reform in the Holyrood election - should be showing compassion and respect to trans people.”
“Tawee expressed shock at the killings, saying he had no idea what motivated the teenager, but also offered compassion.”
From Middle English compassioun, compassion, from Old French compassion, from Ecclesiastical Latin compassio (“sympathy”), from Latin compati, past participle compassus (“to suffer together with”), from com- (“together”) + pati (“to suffer”); see passion.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.