commiserate (with) 1 of 2

verb

kə-ˈmi-zə-ˌrāt How to pronounce commiserate (with) (audio)
Definition of commiserate (with)next
as in to pity
to have sympathy for we commiserated with him but there was little we could do to make the situation better

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

commiseration

2 of 2

noun

1
as in sympathy
sorrow or the capacity to feel sorrow for another's suffering or misfortune letters of commiseration sent to the hospitalized student

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in kindness
the capacity for feeling for another's unhappiness or misfortune a heartless businessman with no commiseration for the less fortunate

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun commiseration contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of commiseration are compassion, condolence, pity, and sympathy. While all these words mean "the act or capacity for sharing the painful feelings of another," commiseration suggests pity expressed outwardly in exclamations, tears, or words of comfort.

murmurs of commiseration filled the loser's headquarters

In what contexts can compassion take the place of commiseration?

The words compassion and commiseration can be used in similar contexts, but compassion implies pity coupled with an urgent desire to aid or to spare.

treats the homeless with great compassion

When is condolence a more appropriate choice than commiseration?

While the synonyms condolence and commiseration are close in meaning, condolence applies chiefly to formal expression of grief to one who has suffered loss.

expressed their condolences to the widow

When is it sensible to use pity instead of commiseration?

While in some cases nearly identical to commiseration, pity implies tender or sometimes slightly contemptuous sorrow for one in misery or distress.

felt pity for the captives

When could sympathy be used to replace commiseration?

The words sympathy and commiseration are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sympathy often suggests a tender concern but can also imply a power to enter into another's emotional experience of any sort.

went to my best friend for sympathy
in sympathy with her desire to locate her natural parents

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for commiserate (with)
  1. pity
  2. sympathy
  3. kindness
  4. compassion
Verb
  • Brian was simultaneously celebrated for his transcendent musical vision and pitied for the emotional struggles that haunted much of his life.
    — Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
  • Wilson himself was celebrated for his beautiful music and pitied for his demons.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 June 2025
Definition of pity
Noun
  • Colbert expressed sympathy for Harris having to endure it.
    — Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 1 Aug. 2025
  • After the shooting in Manhattan, Mamdani expressed sympathy to the victims on social media.
    — Nicole Russell, USA Today, 31 July 2025
Definition of sympathy
Noun
  • His 90 years are saturated with kindness, love and compassion… driven by a fearless, diamond-like wisdom that engages a deeply divided world.
    — Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 30 July 2025
  • Cole has known Hussein for about six years and has seen how Hussein's kindness, character and compassion has inspired countless people at the school.
    — Lily Kepner, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Definition of kindness
Noun
  • Among those lessons is that working with young people — and earning their trust — requires patience and compassion.
    — Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 25 July 2025
  • This doesn't mean our creativity or compassion will be erased.
    — Srinivasa Rao Bittla, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Definition of compassion
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

commiserates (with)
commiserate (with)
commiserating
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Commiserate (with).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commiserate%20%28with%29. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Our Best Historical Slang Terms

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Better Ways to Say 'This Sucks'

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Our Best Historical Slang Terms

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
iykyk if you know you know slang written in a neon
Quiz: Abbreviation Station TFW you have to figure out what 15 abbreviations ...
See All