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Compassion vs Lament - What's the difference?

compassion | lament |

As nouns the difference between compassion and lament

is that compassion is deep awareness of the suffering of another, coupled with the wish to relieve it while lament is an expression of grief, suffering, or sadness.

As verbs the difference between compassion and lament

is that compassion is to pity while lament is to express grief; to weep or wail; to mourn.

compassion

English

Noun

  • Deep awareness of the suffering of another, coupled with the wish to relieve it
  • * 1849 , Robert Leighton (Archbishop of Glasgow), A practical commentary upon the first Epistle of St. Peter (page 47)
  • Oh! the unspeakable privilege to have Him for our Father, who is the Father of mercies and compassions , and those not barren, fruitless pityings, for He is withal the God of all consolations.

    Synonyms

    * empathy, pity, ruth, tenderheartedness, sorrow * kindness, heart, mercy

    Derived terms

    * compassionate * compassion fatigue

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To pity.
  • * 1607 , , IV. i. 124:
  • O heavens, can you hear a good man groan / And not relent, or not compassion him?

    lament

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An expression of grief, suffering, or sadness.
  • A song expressing grief.
  • Derived terms

    * (l) (rare)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To express grief; to weep or wail; to mourn.
  • * Bible, John xvi. 20
  • Ye shall weep and lament , but the world shall rejoice.
  • To feel great sorrow or regret; to bewail.
  • * 2014 , , " Southampton hammer eight past hapless Sunderland in barmy encounter", The Guardian , 18 October 2014:
  • By the end, Sunderland were lucky to lose by the same scoreline Northampton Town suffered against Southampton, in 1921. The Sunderland manager, Gus Poyet, lamented that it was “the most embarrassed I’ve ever been on a football pitch, without a doubt”.
  • * Dryden
  • One laughed at follies, one lamented crimes.

    Synonyms

    * bewail

    Anagrams

    * * * * ----