Definition Definition

sympathetic - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'sympathetic' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Sympathetic [ a.]
- Inclined to sympathy; sympathizing.
- Produced by, or expressive of, sympathy.
- Produced by sympathy; -- applied particularly to symptoms or affections. See Sympathy.
- Of or relating to the sympathetic nervous system or some of its branches; produced by stimulation on the sympathetic nervious system or some part of it; as, the sympathetic saliva, a modified form of saliva, produced from some of the salivary glands by stimulation of a sympathetic nerve fiber.

Meaning of 'sympathetic' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . sympathetic [ a]
Meaning (1):
- expressing or feeling or resulting from sympathy or compassion or friendly fellow feelings; disposed toward
Example in sentence:
  • a sympathetic gesture;
  • a sympathetic observer;
  • sympathetic to the students' cause
Meaning (2):
- of or relating to the sympathetic nervous system
Example in sentence:
  • sympathetic neurons;
  • sympathetic stimulation
Meaning (3):
- (of characters in literature or drama) evoking empathic or sympathetic feelings
Example in sentence:
  • the sympathetic characters in the play
4 . sympathetic [ s]
Meaning (4):
- showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
Example in sentence:
  • a kindly act;
  • a large-hearted mentor;
  • kindly criticism;
  • sympathetic words;
  • was charitable in his opinions of others
Meaning (5):
- relating to vibrations that occur as a result of vibrations in a nearby body
Example in sentence:
  • sympathetic vibration
Meaning (6):
- having similar disposition and tastes
Example in sentence:
  • with their many similar tastes, he found her a most sympathetic companion