sympathise with vs sympathise

Both 'sympathise with' and 'sympathise' are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Sympathise with' is used when expressing understanding or compassion towards someone's situation, while 'sympathise' can stand alone as a verb without the preposition 'with'.

Last updated: March 19, 2024

sympathise with

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

Use 'sympathise with' when you want to express understanding or compassion towards someone's situation.

Examples:

I sympathise with her loss.
I sympathise with the difficulties you are facing.

Show examples from the web [+]

He added that while his words resemble "totalitarian propaganda", players cannot help but sympathise with him.
We sympathise with the will of nations who want a better life, empowerment and a better tomorrow.
We of course sympathise with the plight of poor countries.
I sympathise with the view expressed in the report that the Commission did not go far enough in requiring separation of railway undertakings from infrastructure managers.
I know that many of you regret this and I sympathise with this view.
I suspect all the judges in Granada sympathise with the conspiracy.
This does not mean that we sympathise with Haider.
A man like Manning found it dif ficult to sympathise with the intellectual difficulties of an adversary.
I acknowledge that this report was always going to be difficult and sympathise with the rapporteur, who is in a lose-lose situation.
You may find some kind hearted soul in debian-user who will sympathise with your plight.
Faisal's government endeavoured to preserve the military's loyalty through generous benefits, but this proved increasingly ineffective as more and more officers came to sympathise with the nascent anti-monarchist movement.
His notes to Gladstone on the subject helped sway many in the British government to sympathise with the South.
In my opinion all of these objections are justified, but I tend to sympathise with Miller and his intentions, and I think that in part he has been misunderstood.
We lament the violence and the victims and we sympathise with the Russian authorities, who are trying to get the situation under control.
I believe that those of you who do not seem to sympathise with her ideas should give her the benefit of the doubt.
Bravo, I sympathise with you Tersilli.
But it will help you sympathise with us professionals.
I sympathise with your wife for many reasons.
I thought you'd let me sympathise with you.

Alternatives:

empathize with
show compassion towards
understand the feelings of

sympathise

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

Use 'sympathise' as a standalone verb when expressing understanding or compassion towards someone without the need for the preposition 'with'.