What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Compassionate vs Impassioned - What's the difference?

compassionate | impassioned |

As adjectives the difference between compassionate and impassioned

is that compassionate is having, feeling or showing compassion; sympathetic while impassioned is filled with intense emotion or passion; fervent.

As a verb compassionate

is to feel compassion for; to pity, feel sorry for.

compassionate

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Having, feeling or showing compassion; sympathetic.
  • * South
    • There never was any heart truly great and generous, that was not also tender and compassionate .
  • Of a leave, given to someone because of a domestic emergency.
    • compassionate leave
  • (obsolete) Inviting pity; pitiable.
    • (Shakespeare)

    Synonyms

    * ruthful

    Verb

    (compassionat)
  • (archaic) To feel compassion for; to pity, feel sorry for.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1903, author=William Godwin, title=Caleb Williams, chapter=, edition= citation
    • , passage=And yet I could not help bitterly compassionating the honest fellow, brought to the gallows, as he was, strictly speaking, by the machinations of that devil incarnate, Mr. Tyrrel. }}
  • * {{quote-book, year=1895, author=J. Sheridan Le Fanu, title=The Evil Guest, chapter=, edition= citation
    • , passage=The good Mrs. Mervyn accompanied these words with looks so sly, and emphasis so significant, that Rhoda was fain to look down, to hide her blushes; and compassionating the confusion she herself had caused, the kind old lady led her to the chamber which was henceforward, so long as she consented to remain, to be her own apartment. }}
  • * 1749 , Henry Fielding, Tom Jones , Folio Society 1973, p. 50:
    • The justice which Mr Allworthy had executed on Partridge at first met with universal approbation; but no sooner had he felt its consequences, than his neighbours began to relent, and to compassionate his case [...].

    impassioned

    English

    Alternative forms

    *empassioned

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Filled with intense emotion or passion; fervent.
  • *1590 , (Edmund Spenser), The Faerie Queene , III.9:
  • *:She was empassioned at that piteous act, / With zealous envy of the Greekes cruell fact / Against that nation […].
  • *1839 , (Charles Dickens), Nicholas Nickleby , VI:
  • *:The tears fell fast from the maiden's eyes as she closed her impassioned appeal, and hid her face in the bosom of her sister.