sympathy card
Definition
- Noun:
- A card expressing sympathy: A physical or digital card sent to someone to express condolences, sorrow, or support, typically after a death or during a difficult time.
Usage
- A sympathy card is sent to convey feelings of compassion and shared sorrow. It is a common social gesture following a bereavement.
- It is typically given or mailed to the person or family experiencing the loss.
Examples
Advanced Usage
- The term can be used metaphorically to describe an action or statement made primarily to gain favor by appearing compassionate, though this usage is often critical or cynical.
- His public apology seemed like nothing more than a sympathy card played for the media.
Variants and Related Words
- Condolence card: A direct synonym for a sympathy card.
- Get-well card: A card sent to wish someone a recovery from illness, distinct from a sympathy card.
- Greeting card: The general category that includes sympathy cards, birthday cards, etc.
Synonyms
- Condolence card
Idioms and Phrases
- To play the sympathy card: To attempt to gain an advantage or elicit a specific reaction by deliberately invoking or displaying one's own (or another's) misfortune to gain pity. This is an idiomatic, often negative, extension of the core term.
- During the negotiation, he tried to play the sympathy card by mentioning his recent hardships.
Noun
-
a card expressing sympathy
