compassionate
Moved by suffering
Compassionate describes someone who feels genuine concern for others' suffering and wants to help relieve it.
The word suggests both emotional sensitivity and active kindness: a compassionate nurse, compassionate toward the homeless.
Compassionate leave is time off work granted for family emergencies or bereavement.
To act compassionately is to respond with empathy rather than indifference.
Disposed toward forgiveness
- forgivingInclined to pardon offenses
- lenientTolerant of faults
- forbearingShowing restraint under provocation
- clemencyMerciful treatment of offenders
pardoning · sparing · pitying · sympathetic · humane · charitable · indulgent · tolerant
Feeling what others feel
- understandingMental comprehension of something
- sensitiveEasily affected emotionally
- caringShowing kind concern
- tenderheartedReadily feeling sympathy
warmhearted · soft-hearted · feeling · perceptive · attuned · intuitive · fellow-feeling · commiseration
Type or caring
- gentleSoft and kind
- tenderSoft or sore
- benevolentDesiring others' welfare
- warmModerately heated, or friendly
loving · affectionate · gracious · good-natured · big-hearted · good-hearted · mild · soft
Concerned with others' welfare
- generousWilling to give freely
- givingTransferring to another
- philanthropicDevoted to human welfare
- humanitarianHelper of suffering people
benevolent · charitable · magnanimous · beneficent · public-spirited · unselfish · helping · volunteer
Offering help and reassurance
- encouragingGiving confidence or hope
- reassuringRestoring calm or confidence
- consolingGiving solace to another
- comfortingGiving emotional ease
uplifting · helpful · nurturing · protective · guiding · sustaining · bolstering · steadfast
merciful
Disposed toward forgiveness
- forgivingInclined to pardon offenses
- lenientTolerant of faults
- forbearingShowing restraint under provocation
clemency · pardoning · sparing · pitying · sympathetic · humane · charitable · indulgent · tolerant · patient
empathetic
Feeling what others feel
- understandingMental comprehension of something
- sensitiveEasily affected emotionally
- caringShowing kind concern
tenderhearted · warmhearted · soft-hearted · feeling · perceptive · attuned · intuitive · fellow-feeling · commiseration · solicitude
kind
Type or caring
- gentleSoft and kind
- tenderSoft or sore
- benevolentDesiring others' welfare
warm · loving · affectionate · gracious · good-natured · big-hearted · good-hearted · mild · soft · soothing
selfless
Concerned with others' welfare
- generousWilling to give freely
- givingTransferring to another
- philanthropicDevoted to human welfare
humanitarian · benevolent · charitable · magnanimous · beneficent · public-spirited · unselfish · helping · volunteer · donor
supportive
Offering help and reassurance
- encouragingGiving confidence or hope
- reassuringRestoring calm or confidence
- consolingGiving solace to another
comforting · uplifting · helpful · nurturing · protective · guiding · sustaining · bolstering · steadfast · loyal
- heartwarmingfeel-good, touching, heartfelt, uplifting, tender
- Parenting Traitspatience, love, kindness, empathy, nurturing
- kind traitskind, caring, nurturing, tender, generous
- lovingloving, adoring, affectionate, amorous, caring
- moral judgmentsgood, evil, wicked, virtuous, moral
- Piscesfish symbol, fish, Neptune, water sign, water element
compassionatecallous
Cruelly insensitive to others
unfeeling · cold-hearted · indifferent · hard-hearted · unsympathetic
- compassionate careSupport given with empathy
- compassionate leaveAbsence for family crisis
- compassionate releaseEarly discharge for dying inmates
- compassionate usePre-approval medical treatment allowance
- compassionate listeningAttentive, caring reception of others