sympathetic
/ˌsɪmpəˈθetɪk/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌsɪmpəˈθetɪk/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌsim-pə-ˈthe-tik/ (ame, mw)
sympathetic — adjective
- sympatheticpositive
- more sympatheticcomparative
- most sympatheticsuperlative
1. feeling or showing that you recognize someone's pain, sadness, or difficulty and
feeling or showing that you recognize someone's pain, sadness, or difficulty and want to be kind or helpful toward them
The school nurse was sympathetic when Noa described the pain in his ankle.
sympathetic + when + explanation
Renata's friends sent a sympathetic message after hearing about her grandmother's illness.
collocation: sympathetic message / sympathetic letter
A sympathetic passer-by stopped to help Leo fix his bicycle on the side of the road.
The manager remained sympathetic to the staff's concerns about the new schedule.
Mizuki found her landlord surprisingly sympathetic when she asked for extra time to pay the rent.
- compassionate
stronger emotional tone; implies deep awareness of suffering rather than general kindness
- understanding
focuses on the ability to grasp someone's feelings rather than feeling sorry for them
- supportive
emphasises active help and encouragement alongside emotional care
- caring
broader and more everyday; less specific to situations of hardship
- unsympathetic
the direct opposite; showing no care or concern
- indifferent
not caring either way, rather than actively cold
文法句型
sympathetic + to + noun phrase
sympathetic + toward + noun phrase
sympathetic + when + clause
用法筆記
This sense often pairs with 'to' or 'toward' to show who or what the sympathy is directed at. When used before a noun (e.g. 'a sympathetic friend'), no preposition is needed.
常見錯誤
2. used of a person in a story, film, or television show who is shown in a way that
used of a person in a story, film, or television show who is shown in a way that makes the audience feel they are decent, understandable, and worth supporting
The novel's main character is not especially sympathetic, but readers still enjoy the story.
sympathetic character in fiction
Aaron thought the film's villain was far more sympathetic than the hero.
comparative: more sympathetic than
A well-written sympathetic side character can make an entire film feel warmer.
Critics praised the play for creating a deeply sympathetic portrait of a difficult woman.
- unsympathetic
in fiction, describes a character the audience dislikes or cannot relate to
- unlikable
more straightforward; the opposite of 'easy to like'
文法句型
sympathetic + character / hero / villain / figure
more sympathetic than + noun phrase
make + noun phrase + sympathetic
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1, this sense does not take 'to' or 'toward'. The focus is on a character's quality as designed by the writer, not on the feelings of a real person.
3. agreeing with a person, idea, or plan and being willing to offer approval or pra
agreeing with a person, idea, or plan and being willing to offer approval or practical help
The mayor is sympathetic to the idea of adding more bike lanes in the city centre.
sympathetic + to + idea / proposal
Mayumi's parents were not sympathetic to her plan to drop out of college.
negative: not sympathetic to
Several union leaders are sympathetic to the workers' demand for higher pay.
Ife is looking for a publisher who is sympathetic to experimental fiction.
- supportive
closer in meaning to sense 3 than to sense 1; suggests active backing
- approving
emphasises positive judgment without necessarily implying help
- favourable
slightly more formal; often used of responses to proposals or policies
- opposed
directly opposite; actively against rather than merely not supportive
- unsympathetic
in this sense, means not in agreement rather than cold-hearted
文法句型
sympathetic + to + noun phrase (idea / plan / proposal / cause)
sympathetic + toward + noun phrase
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: sense 3 focuses on agreement and approval of ideas or causes, while sense 1 focuses on emotional care toward a person in difficulty. Sense 3 does not describe feelings about someone's suffering.
sympathetic — noun
1. relating to the part of the nervous system that controls automatic body function
relating to the part of the nervous system that controls automatic body functions such as heart rate, breathing, sweating, and the fight-or-flight response
The surgeon carefully avoided damaging the sympathetic nerves during the operation.
medical compound: sympathetic nerves
An overactive sympathetic nervous system can keep a person in a constant state of alert.
compound: sympathetic nervous system
The sympathetic nervous system speeds up the heart when a person feels afraid.
Yoga and deep breathing can calm an overactive sympathetic nervous system.
- parasympathetic
the other division of the autonomic nervous system, responsible for 'rest and digest' functions
文法句型
sympathetic + nerve / nerves / trunk / ganglion
sympathetic nervous system
用法筆記
This is a technical medical term. The noun sense only appears in specialised anatomy or physiology contexts, almost always as the first part of a compound noun ('sympathetic nerve', 'sympathetic trunk').