Meaning & use
sympathetic character
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountabletechnical
A person in a story whom readers or viewers can understand and care about.
Grammar: Countable: you can talk about a sympathetic character or several sympathetic characters.
Patterns
- a sympathetic character
- make someone a sympathetic character
- come across as a sympathetic character
Even though he makes bad choices, the writer makes him a sympathetic character.
The novel has no truly sympathetic character, which is why some readers find it cold.
Audiences stay interested when at least one sympathetic character is in danger.
nouncountabletechnical
A role written so that the actor can win the audience's sympathy.
Grammar: Often used with play, create, or write: she plays a sympathetic character.
Patterns
- play a sympathetic character
- write a sympathetic character
- create a sympathetic character
She was tired of playing the sympathetic character who suffers quietly.
The director asked him to make the villain a sympathetic character.
It is hard to create a sympathetic character without making them boring.
Word forms
| plural | sympathetic characters |
|---|
Common combinations
- a deeply sympathetic character
- The grandmother is a deeply sympathetic character from her first scene.
- make someone a sympathetic character
- A single kind act can make someone a sympathetic character.
- a sympathetic character arc
- Her sympathetic character arc moves from fear to courage.
- come across as a sympathetic character
- He comes across as a sympathetic character even when he is lying.
Synonyms and how they differ
- likable character
- Focuses on charm and pleasantness; a sympathetic character may be difficult or flawed but still understood.
- relatable character
- Emphasizes that the audience shares similar experiences; sympathy is about caring, which is slightly different.
- hero
- Much stronger and more moral; a sympathetic character does not have to be brave or good.
Opposites
Word family
- sympathy noun
- The feeling of being sorry for someone or understanding their suffering.
- sympathetic adjective
- Showing that you understand and care about someone's problems.
- sympathetically adverb
- In a way that shows understanding and care.
Commonly confused: sympathetic character or nice character? sympathetic character or sympathetic?
sympathetic character vs nice character
A nice character is pleasant; a sympathetic character is one the audience can understand and care about, even if they behave badly.
sympathetic character vs sympathetic
In everyday English 'sympathetic' means kind and understanding; in stories it means the audience feels sympathy for the character.
Practice
In a film review, what does it mean to call someone 'a sympathetic character'?
Choose one answer.
In literary and film talk, 'sympathetic' means the audience feels sympathy for the character. Option D describes an agreeable person, but a sympathetic character can be difficult or even unpleasant.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sympathetic character”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.