2 ADJ If you are sympathetic to a proposal or action, you approve of it and are willing to support it. □ [+ to ] She met people in London who were sympathetic to her cause. ● sym|pa|theti|cal|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ After a year we will sympathetically consider an application for reinstatement.
3 ADJ You describe someone as sympathetic when you like them and approve of the way that they behave. □ She sounds a most sympathetic character.
sym|pa|thize /s I mpəθa I z/ (sympathizes , sympathizing , sympathized ) in BRIT, also use sympathise 1 VERB If you sympathize with someone who is in a bad situation, you show that you are sorry for them. □ [V + with ] I must tell you how much I sympathize with you for your loss, Professor. □ [V ] He would sympathize but he wouldn't understand.
2 VERB If you sympathize with someone's feelings, you understand them and are not critical of them. □ [V + with ] He sympathised with her over her frustration at not being chosen for the team. □ [V + with ] He liked Max, and sympathized with his ambitions. [Also V ]
3 VERB If you sympathize with a proposal or action, you approve of it and are willing to support it. □ [V + with ] Most of the people living there sympathized with the guerrillas.
sym|pa|thiz|er /s I mpəθa I zə r / (sympathizers ) in BRIT, also use sympathiser N‑COUNT [usu pl] The sympathizers of an organization or cause are the people who approve of it and support it. □ These villagers are guerrilla sympathizers.
sym|pa|thy ◆◇◇ /s I mpəθi/ (sympathies )
1 N‑UNCOUNT If you have sympathy for someone who is in a bad situation, you are sorry for them, and show this in the way you behave towards them. □ I have had very little help from doctors and no sympathy whatsoever. □ I wanted to express my sympathies on your resignation.
2 N‑UNCOUNT If you have sympathy with someone's ideas or opinions, you agree with them. □ [+ with ] I have some sympathy with this point of view. □ [+ for ] Lithuania still commands considerable international sympathy for its cause. □ He had strong left-wing sympathies.
3 N‑UNCOUNT If you take some action in sympathy with someone else, you do it in order to show that you support them. □ Milne resigned in sympathy because of the way Donald had been treated.
sym|phon|ic /s I mfɒ n I k/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Symphonic means relating to or like a symphony.
sym|pho|ny /s I mfəni/ (symphonies ) N‑COUNT A symphony is a piece of music written to be played by an orchestra. Symphonies are usually made up of four separate sections called movements.
sy m|pho|ny or|ches|tra (symphony orchestras ) N‑COUNT A symphony orchestra is a large orchestra that plays classical music.
sym|po|sium /s I mpoʊ ziəm/ (symposia /s I mpoʊ ziə/ or symposiums ) N‑COUNT A symposium is a conference in which experts or academics discuss a particular subject. □ [+ on ] He had been taking part in an international symposium on population.
symp|tom ◆◇◇ /s I mptəm/ (symptoms )
1 N‑COUNT A symptom of an illness is something wrong with your body or mind that is a sign of the illness. □ One of the most common symptoms of schizophrenia is hearing imaginary voices. □ …patients with flu symptoms.
2 N‑COUNT A symptom of a bad situation is something that happens which is considered to be a sign of this situation. □ [+ of ] With some people lateness is a symptom of general unreliability. SYNONYMS symptom NOUN 1
sign: Your blood would have been checked for any sign of kidney failure.
indication: He gave no indication that he was ready to compromise.
signaclass="underline" The first warning signals came in March.
symp|to|mat|ic /s I mptəmæ t I k/ ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If something is symptomatic of something else, especially something bad, it is a sign of it. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] The city's problems are symptomatic of the crisis that is spreading throughout the country.
syna|gogue /s I nəgɒg/ (synagogues ) N‑COUNT A synagogue is a building where Jewish people meet to worship or to study their religion.
syn|apse /sa I næps, [AM ] s I næ ps/ (synapses ) N‑COUNT A synapse is one of the points in the nervous system at which a signal passes from one nerve cell to another. [TECHNICAL ]
sync /s I ŋk/ also synch PHRASE If two things are out of sync , they do not match or do not happen together as they should. If two things are in sync , they match or happen together as they should. [INFORMAL ] □ When demand and supply are out of sync, you either increase the supply or adjust the price. [Also + with ]
synch /s I ŋk/ → see sync
syn|chro|nize /s I ŋkrəna I z/ (synchronizes , synchronizing , synchronized ) in BRIT, also use synchronise VERB If you synchronize two activities, processes, or movements, or if you synchronize one activity, process, or movement with another, you cause them to happen at the same time and speed as each other. □ [V n] It was virtually impossible to synchronise our lives so as to take holidays together. □ [V n + with ] Synchronise the score with the film action. □ [V -ed] …a series of unexpected, synchronized attacks. [Also V with n, pl-n V ]
sy n|chro|nized swi m|ming in BRIT, also use synchronised swimming N‑UNCOUNT Synchronized swimming is a sport in which two or more people perform complicated and carefully planned movements in water in time to music.