commiserate
verb
com·mis·er·ate
kə-ˈmi-zə-ˌrāt 
commiserated; commiserating
: to feel or express sorrow or compassion for
commiseratingly
adverb
Examples of commiserate in a Sentence
"Did you enjoy your breakfast?" "The eggs were runny." "I know." The woman commiserated. "I was thinking, I should just have barged into the kitchen and done them myself."
—
Alice Munro, Runaway, (2004) 2005
The other potters seemed to slump as one into dejection, all but abandoning their work in favor of long, lugubrious visits to the wine shop, where they commiserated with one another.
—Linda Sue Park, A Single Shard, (2001) 2003
"I been readin' about it," she said, referring to the recent breakup of my marriage. … "It's too bad," she commiserated.
—Arthur Miller, Timebends, 1987
The pain of losing is diverting. So is the thrill of winning. Winning, however, is lonelier, because those you've taken money from are not apt to commiserate with you.
—David Mamet, New York Times Magazine, 20 Apr. 1986
The players commiserated over their loss in the championship game.
Alice Munro, Runaway, (2004) 2005
The other potters seemed to slump as one into dejection, all but abandoning their work in favor of long, lugubrious visits to the wine shop, where they commiserated with one another.
—Linda Sue Park, A Single Shard, (2001) 2003
"I been readin' about it," she said, referring to the recent breakup of my marriage. … "It's too bad," she commiserated.
—Arthur Miller, Timebends, 1987
The pain of losing is diverting. So is the thrill of winning. Winning, however, is lonelier, because those you've taken money from are not apt to commiserate with you.
—David Mamet, New York Times Magazine, 20 Apr. 1986
The players commiserated over their loss in the championship game.
Recent Examples on the Web
However, if Hugh had a hand in raising you, commiserating with you is understandable.
—Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2025
Sure, the two men would get along, commiserating over the woes of running a busy emergency department, but there’s enough of a distinction.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2025
Ivey commiserated with Aaron about her experiences with her son, Jaden Ivey, who suffered a broken fibula on Jan. 1 while playing with the Detroit Pistons.
—Christian Babcock, The Mercury News, 3 Feb. 2025
Hearing the other move around, flick the light switch on and off, pound the floor, the insomniac empathizes while recognizing that to commiserate would be to bar the door to oblivion for both.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commiserate
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Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2025
Sure, the two men would get along, commiserating over the woes of running a busy emergency department, but there’s enough of a distinction.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2025
Ivey commiserated with Aaron about her experiences with her son, Jaden Ivey, who suffered a broken fibula on Jan. 1 while playing with the Detroit Pistons.
—Christian Babcock, The Mercury News, 3 Feb. 2025
Hearing the other move around, flick the light switch on and off, pound the floor, the insomniac empathizes while recognizing that to commiserate would be to bar the door to oblivion for both.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commiserate
Cite this Entry
“Commiserate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commiserate. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
commiserate
verb
com·mis·er·ate
kə-ˈmiz-ə-ˌrāt
commiserated; commiserating
: to feel or express sorrow or sympathy : sympathize
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