encourage sympathy

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "encourage sympathy" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing actions or behaviors that promote feelings of compassion or understanding towards others. Example: "The charity event aimed to encourage sympathy for the plight of homeless families in the community."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

And the mafiosi were doing little to encourage sympathy.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Such projects can be dramatically compelling – just look at Shakespeare's histories – but they can also flirt with titillation (how accurate are the impersonations?) and sentimentality, encouraging sympathy with the stresses of a particular situation for one person rather than engagement with the consequences of their behaviour for unseen millions.

The Guardian - Opinion

Furthermore, some researchers argue that the inherent structure of violent video games limit young people's abilities to develop perspectives of victims and does not encourage affective sympathy in children, as any negative effects of being harmed or killed in the games are minimised ignored, or even rewarded.

Independent

Graham notes how the character of Tuvix was written to encourage audience sympathies, yet was still effectively sentenced to death in contravention of what she describes as the "exemplary Star Trek values [of] sentience, self-determination, and personhood".

Wikipedia

A succession of Southern victories further encouraged English sympathy for the South.

The New York Times - Books

Similarly — to return to the world of the Holocaust — a museum that offers ticket holders the chance to go inside a cattle car, presumably in order to convey what it was like to be in one, can ultimately encourage not true sympathy or understanding, but a slick "identification" that devalues the real suffering of the real people who had to endure that particular horror.

The New York Times

She recommends not listening in complete silence but use of "supportive comments to encourage or evince sympathy, like ticks in the margin of your homework.

The Guardian - Opinion

Might the addition of a sympathy button encourage people to post bad news in order to get more sympathy?

The Guardian - Opinion

In a widely circulated article in The New Yorker magazine recently, the writer Malcolm Gladwell argued that social networks encourage people to express sympathy for various causes — solidarity with democracy activists in Iran or genocide victims in Darfur, for instance — but that Twitter and Facebook do not compel us to do anything practical beyond that, like giving money.

The New York Times

Edmund's reaction to the story hardly encouraged much public sympathy either.

The Guardian

Sympathy, encouraged from the White House, has kept the upper hand, but negative opinion, along with the number of anti-Muslim hate crimes, has crept slowly upward.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "encourage sympathy", ensure the context clearly indicates the specific group or individual towards whom sympathy is being encouraged. Be specific to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using the passive voice when describing actions that "encourage sympathy". Instead of saying 'Sympathy was encouraged', specify who or what is doing the encouraging to create a stronger and more direct statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "encourage sympathy" primarily functions as a verb phrase that aims to influence emotions or attitudes. Ludwig AI identifies this phrase as grammatically sound and usable. It highlights the act of promoting or fostering feelings of compassion towards a person, group, or situation.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Wiki

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "encourage sympathy" is a grammatically correct and versatile expression used to describe actions that promote feelings of compassion and understanding. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and widespread usage across various contexts, particularly in News & Media. While alternatives like "foster compassion" or "promote empathy" exist, "encourage sympathy" maintains its relevance in conveying the act of eliciting support and understanding. It's important to be mindful of ethical considerations and specify the target of sympathy to ensure clarity and avoid manipulation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

foster compassion

Emphasizes nurturing deep emotional understanding and caring.

promote empathy

Highlights facilitating the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

cultivate understanding

Focuses on developing comprehension of another's situation or feelings.

inspire compassion

Suggests a more motivational approach to generating feelings of care.

generate empathy

Highlights producing empathy where it might not currently exist.

elicit sympathy

Suggests drawing out sympathy that is already present.

incite compassion

Emphasizes stirring up a strong emotional response.

invoke understanding

Focuses on calling forth a sense of comprehension and connection.

foster fellow feeling

Highlights promoting a sense of shared emotion and connection.

arouse compassion

Suggests awakening a dormant sense of caring.

FAQs

How can I effectively use "encourage sympathy" in a sentence?

To effectively use "encourage sympathy", ensure your sentence clearly identifies who or what is doing the encouraging and who or what is the recipient of the sympathy. For instance, 'The documentary aimed to "encourage sympathy" for the refugees'.

What are some alternatives to "encourage sympathy"?

You can use alternatives like "foster compassion", "promote empathy", or "cultivate understanding" depending on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

Is it always appropriate to try to "encourage sympathy"?

While encouraging sympathy can be beneficial in many situations, it's important to consider the ethical implications. Avoid manipulative tactics and ensure that the situation genuinely warrants compassion and understanding.

What's the difference between "encourage sympathy" and "demand sympathy"?

"Encourage sympathy" implies a gentle prompting of compassion, while "demand sympathy" suggests a forceful or manipulative attempt to elicit pity. The former is generally more ethical and effective in building genuine connections.