Standard Lemma guide

sympathetically

adv · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /sɪmpəˈθɛtɪk(ə)li/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S IH2 M P AH0 TH EH1 T IH0 K AH0 L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: S IH2 M P AH0 TH EH1 T IH0 K L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

Owing to or showing evidence of sympathy, or affinity; happening through or demonstrating correspondences, whether occult or physiological.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

In a manner which demonstrates a sharing in the feelings of others; compassionately.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adverb

Meaning 3

with respect to the sympathetic nervous system

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the stimulus acted sympathetically

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adverb

Meaning 4

in a sympathetic manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • she listened to him sympathetically

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: empathetically

Antonyms: unsympathetically

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English sympathetical Middle English -ly English -ly English sympathetically From sympathetical + -ly.

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: myötätuntoisesti — demonstrating a sharing in the feelings of others
  • French: sympathiquement — demonstrating a sharing in the feelings of others
  • Ancient Greek: συμπαθῶς (sumpathôs) — demonstrating a sharing in the feelings of others