# sympathetic

/ˌsɪmpəˈθɛtɪk/ (US) · /sˌɪmpəθˈɛtɪk/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. kind and caring

adjective · CEFR B2

showing that you understand and care about someone else's suffering or problems.

For teachers: feeling, showing, or expressing empathy and sorrow for another's misfortune.

- My boss was very sympathetic when I explained that my car had broken down.
- The nurse offered a sympathetic ear to the patient, listening patiently as he described his anxieties about the upcoming surgery.

### 2. supporting an idea

adjective · CEFR B2

agreeing with or supporting a particular aim, idea, or person.

For teachers: showing approval of or favour towards an idea, cause, or individual.

- The local council is sympathetic to our plan to build a new park.
- Although the senator was sympathetic to the environmental cause, she ultimately voted against the bill due to its high cost.

### 3. likeable

adjective · CEFR C1 · Literary

describing a character in a book or film that you like and want to succeed.

For teachers: evoking pity or liking in an audience; used especially of fictional characters.

- The villain was actually a sympathetic character with a very sad past.
- The author struggled to make the protagonist sympathetic, as his early actions in the novel were largely driven by greed.

### 4. biological system

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

relating to the part of the nervous system that helps the body react to stress or danger.

For teachers: relating to the part of the autonomic nervous system that typically accelerates heart rate and prepares the body for 'fight or flight'.

- The sympathetic nervous system makes your heart beat faster when you are scared.
- The drug works by inhibiting the sympathetic response, thereby lowering the patient's blood pressure during periods of acute stress.

Usage: Usually precedes the noun 'nervous system'.

### 5. vibrating together

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

describing a sound or vibration caused by another sound nearby.

For teachers: relating to or produced by vibrations in one body caused by similar vibrations in another.

- When she hit the low note on the piano, I heard a sympathetic vibration from the guitar.
- The sitar features several sympathetic strings that are never plucked but vibrate in response to the primary melody strings.

## Examples

- She was very sympathetic when I told her about my bad news.
- The manager was sympathetic to his request for time off to care for his sick relative.
- Although the board members were sympathetic to the plight of the displaced workers, they ultimately voted to proceed with the factory closure for financial reasons.

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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.