sym ‧ pa ‧ thet ‧ ic /ˌsɪmpəˈθetɪk◂/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ sympathy , ↑ sympathizer ; verb : ↑ sympathize ; adverb : ↑ sympathetically ; adjective : ↑ sympathetic ≠ ↑ unsympathetic ]
1 . caring and feeling sorry about someone’s problems:
a sympathetic friend
a sympathetic attitude
sympathetic to/towards
I’m sympathetic to parents who are worried about what their children see on television.
We hope always to provide a friendly sympathetic ear (=someone willing to listen to someone else’s problems) .
2 . [not before noun] willing to give approval and support to an aim or plan
sympathetic to/towards
Senator Capp is very sympathetic to environmental issues.
3 . sympathetic figure/character literary someone in a book, play etc who most people like
4 . providing the right conditions for someone OPP hostile :
a sympathetic environment
—sympathetically /-kli/ adverb :
Jill smiled sympathetically.
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THESAURUS
▪ sympathetic kind to someone who is having problems:
My friends were very sympathetic when I lost my job.
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Jill was a very sympathetic listener.
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a sympathetic attitude
▪ compassionate wanting to help people who are suffering or having problems:
The doctor was a compassionate man who always acted in his patients’ best interests.
▪ understanding not getting angry with someone or criticizing them, because you can see that they have problems:
I have had a lot of time off work, but my boss is very understanding.
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an understanding look
▪ caring caring about other people’s feelings and wanting to help them:
I have very caring parents.
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Most of the nurses are very caring.