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Humane vs Sympathetic - What's the difference?

humane | sympathetic |

As adjectives the difference between humane and sympathetic

is that humane is having or showing concern for the pain or suffering of another; compassionate while sympathetic is of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy.

humane

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Having or showing concern for the pain or suffering of another; compassionate.
    • It is no longer considered humane to perform vivisection on research animals.
    As methods of execution go, beheading is more humane than drawing and quartering.
  • Pertaining to branches of learning concerned with human affairs or the humanities, especially classical literature or rhetoric.
  • *, II.3.7:
    • many divine precepts to counterpoise our hearts, special antidotes both in scriptures and humane authors, which who so will observe, shall purchase much ease and quietness unto himself.

    • Antonyms

    * inhuman, inhumane

    Derived terms

    * humanely

    Related terms

    * human * humanist * humanitarian * humanity

    References

    * ----

    sympathetic

    English

    Alternative forms

    * sympathetick (obsolete)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Of, related to, showing, or characterized by sympathy.
    • John looked very upset. I gave him a sympathetic look.
  • Of or relating to similarity.
    • Sympathetic magic is based on imitation or correspondence.

    Antonyms

    * unsympathetic

    Derived terms

    * parasympathetic nervous system * sympathetic nervous system