# compassionate

/kəmˈpæʃənət/ (US) · /kəmpˈæʃənət/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/compassionate
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. showing sympathy

adjective · CEFR B2

feeling or showing sympathy and concern for others who are suffering.

For teachers: feeling or showing compassion; motivated by a desire to alleviate the suffering of others.

- The nurse was very compassionate and stayed with the patient until his family arrived.
- A compassionate leader recognizes that the well-being of their staff is just as important as the organization's quarterly targets.

### 2. emergency leave

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

granted to someone because of a family emergency, like a death in the family.

For teachers: granted on the grounds of a personal or family emergency, typically regarding employment leave or prison release.

- He was granted compassionate leave to attend his father's funeral.
- The company policy allows for five days of compassionate leave in the event of the death of an immediate family member.

### 3. to feel pity for

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

to feel deep sympathy or pity for someone.

For teachers: to feel compassion for or to pity someone. This transitive use is largely restricted to older literature.

- The king began to compassionate the poor man's difficult situation.
- In the classic novel, the protagonist finds himself able to compassionate even his greatest enemies after witnessing their shared misery.

Usage: Takes a direct object.

## Examples

- She is a very compassionate person.
- The judge was known for his compassionate approach to sentencing young offenders who showed genuine regret.
- A truly compassionate society is measured not by its wealth, but by how it treats its most vulnerable members during times of crisis.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.