sympathizer
/'simpəθaiz/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A person who agrees with or supports a particular cause, group, or set of ideas, often without being an official member. This person shares the feelings, opinions, or goals of another person or group and wishes for their success. 2. A person who expresses pity, sorrow, or compassion for someone who is experiencing misfortune. This person commiserates with or feels sympathy for another's troubles.
Usage and Examples
- Noun (Supporter):
- The political candidate attracted many sympathizers who agreed with her views but were not ready to join her party officially.
- Although he was not a revolutionary himself, he was known to be a sympathizer of their cause.
- Noun (Compassionate Person):
- After hearing about the accident, she was a true sympathizer, offering her condolences and support to the family.
- He found few sympathizers for his complaints about the difficult workload.
Advanced Usage
- The term can sometimes carry a neutral or slightly negative connotation, implying indirect or passive support rather than active participation. For example, a "sympathizer" of a controversial movement may support its ideals privately without engaging in its activities.
- In historical or political contexts, "sympathizer" is often used to describe someone who supports a faction from the outside. For instance, "communist sympathizer" or "rebel sympathizer."
Variants and Related Words
- Sympathize (verb): To feel or express sympathy; to share or understand the feelings of another.
- I sympathize with your situation.
- Sympathetic (adjective): Feeling, showing, or expressing sympathy; inclined to support or agree.
- She gave me a sympathetic smile.
- Sympathy (noun): The feeling of being sorry for someone's misfortune; understanding between people; common feeling.
- He expressed his sympathy for our loss.
Synonyms
- Supporter: A person who approves of and encourages someone or something.
- Well-wisher: A person who desires happiness or success for another.
- Commiseration: Sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others (this is the , a near-synonym for the feeling a sympathizer has).
- Ally: A person or organization that cooperates with or helps another in a particular activity.
Antonyms
- Opponent: A person who disagrees with or resists a proposal or practice.
- Critic: A person who expresses disapproval of someone or something.
- Antagonist: A person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something.
- Adversary: One's opponent in a contest, conflict, or dispute.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- To have sympathies with/for: To feel supportive of or compassionate toward.
- Many people have sympathies for the refugees' plight.
- A fellow sympathizer: Another person who shares the same supportive feelings or opinions.
- At the meeting, he was glad to find a fellow sympathizer.
Noun
- someone who shares your feelings or opinions and hopes that you will be successful
- commiserates with someone who has had misfortune