commiserations
commiserations — idiom
1. used to tell someone that you feel sad for them because they have just had a dis
used to tell someone that you feel sad for them because they have just had a disappointing experience, especially losing a competition, failing a test, or not getting something they wanted
Commiserations to Hyun on losing the chess final — you played very well.
commiserations + to + person + on + event
After Gita failed her university exam, Bao sent a card of commiserations.
My commiserations to the whole team after their narrow defeat in the semi-final.
When Emre failed his driving test the third time, his friends offered their warm commiserations.
Chidi sent his commiserations to Stefan after the art competition results came out.
- condolences
used for bereavement or serious loss; more formal than commiserations
- sympathies
broader in meaning; can be used for any kind of misfortune including death
- congratulations
the opposite — used to celebrate someone's success rather than express sympathy for their failure
文法句型
(my) commiserations + on/for + [noun/event]
commiserations + to + [person]
用法筆記
Always appears in the plural form, even when addressing one person. Unlike 'condolences', which is used for death or serious loss, 'commiserations' is for non-fatal setbacks such as losing a game, failing a test, or having an application rejected.
常見錯誤
commiserations — verb
- commiserationspresent simple I / you / we / they
- commiserationses3rd person singular
- commiserationsing-ing form
- commiserationsedpast simple
1. to show someone that you understand they are disappointed or sad, often because
to show someone that you understand they are disappointed or sad, often because you have had the same disappointing experience yourself, by talking to them about it together
The coach commiserated with Gabriela after she missed the championship-winning shot.
commiserate + with + person + after + event
Sofie and her colleagues commiserated with each other when their project lost its funding.
Adina called her cousin to commiserate over both being turned down for the same job.
The two runners commiserated with one another on the grass after neither finished the race.
- condole with
more formal and less common, especially used for bereavement
- sympathise with
more general; does not imply a shared experience
文法句型
commiserate + with + [person]
commiserate + with + [person] + about/over + [event]
用法筆記
This sense is intransitive and requires 'with' before the person. The subject and the person after 'with' are usually both affected by the same disappointment, making it a mutual act of sympathy.
常見錯誤
2. to feel deep sadness or pity for another person because of their pain, bad luck,
to feel deep sadness or pity for another person because of their pain, bad luck, or difficult situation
The poet deeply commiserated the homeless families sleeping under the bridge in winter.
transitive commiserate + person — no preposition
In his diary, the captain commiserated the sailors lost at sea during the terrible storm.
The nurse silently commiserated the young patient who cried every time her mother left.
The narrator commiserates the soldiers wounded in a distant war, though he never fought himself.
文法句型
commiserate + [person]
用法筆記
This transitive sense is rare in modern English. Unlike Sense 1 ('commiserate with'), it does not imply that the speaker shares the same misfortune — the speaker simply feels pity from the outside. It is mostly found in literary or formal writing.