How to pronounce sympathy
Say it like SIM-puh-thee. Sympathy has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SIM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce sympathy. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SIM
- puh
- thee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sympathy pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SIMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- puhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- theeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of sympathy
American and British speakers say sympathy in essentially the same way: /ˈsɪmpəθi/ in the US and /ˈsɪmpəθi/ in the UK.
British respelling: SIM-puh-thee.
What does sympathy mean?
- an inclination to support or be loyal to or to agree with an opinion“his sympathies were always with the underdog”“I knew I could count on his understanding”
- sharing the feelings of others (especially feelings of sorrow or anguish)
- a relation of affinity or harmony between people; whatever affects one correspondingly affects the other“the two of them were in close sympathy”
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying sympathy
How do you pronounce sympathy?
Say SIM-puh-thee. The American pronunciation is /ˈsɪmpəθi/. In British English it is /ˈsɪmpəθi/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sympathy?
Sympathy has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SIM). Broken into parts: SIM · puh · thee.
Do Americans and Brits say sympathy the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈsɪmpəθi/ and the British form is /ˈsɪmpəθi/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.