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Glite Dictionary
to feel for

to feel for

83 3.0
Have sympathy for someone who is suffering
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : sentir lástima por
  • We really see it and are asked to feel for that suffering person.
  • feel for others
  • feel for people

I don't have many except that I feel for this young woman.

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Examples

  • I feel for you, kid.

    Tin Soldier (2025)

  • I feel for you.

    Starsky & Hutch (2004)

  • But I will say that I feel for you and I appreciate the question.

    Rich Roll

  • And I really feel for young guys now that are coming up.

  • So, so I feel for these women.

  • I just want you guys to know I feel for you, man.

    Dazed and Confused (1993)

  • Look, girl, listen, I feel for you, but I can't keep telling you this.

    Baby Bulldog (2020)

  • look, I feel for what you're going through, man.

    Adopt a Sailor (2008)

  • How else to satisfactorily explain the inordinate amount of concern I feel for him?

    Academic text (1997)

  • I really feel for those who are struggling to find work during this difficult economic time.

Synonyms

to feel bad for
vsto feel for
108 2.8

Be sorry for someone who is unhappy or for something you did wrong

is plain compassion without the added guilt or remorse component
to pity
vsto feel for
104 1.0

To feel sorry for someone who is suffering

leans more toward internal compassion than outward showing
to sympathize
vsto feel for
96 3.5

To feel or show care and understanding for someone who is unhappy

focuses on feeling compassion rather than also expressing it outwardly
to sympathize with
vsto feel for
44 3.4

To feel sorry for someone and understand their pain

is more about offering compassion than fully sharing inner feelings
to feel your pain
vsto feel for
20 6.8

To understand when someone is having a hard time and show you care

emphasizes general compassion rather than close personal understanding
to commiserate
vsto feel for
15 7.0

To feel or show sympathy for someone who is suffering

keeps the feeling but is less about outward expression
to have a heart for
vsto feel for
1 3.9

To care about someone or something and want to help them

expresses passive compassion rather than an active wish to help
to feel someone's pain
vsto feel for
1 5.5

To understand and share someone's sadness when they are having a hard time

is kinder and more general, not necessarily deeply sensing feelings

Antonyms

indifferent
46 4.4

Not interested or showing no strong feeling about something

unsympathetic
7 4.9

Not feeling sorry for someone or caring about their problems

How Sympathetic

to empathize
  • US
48 4.9
to feel for
83 3.0
to feel bad for
108 2.8

Surface Forms

feel for infinitive
feeling for present participle
feels for third person singular
felt for past
felt for past participle

Morphology

feel + for

The meaning 'to feel sympathy for someone' is directly built from 'feel' (to experience an emotion) plus the preposition 'for' marking the target/recipient of that emotion, so the sense is compositional and predictable. This verb + preposition pattern is common across languages and standard in English, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the meaning.

Etymology

The phrasal verb feel for comes from the image of putting a hand on someone to feel if they are hurt or upset and to show you care. So saying you feel for someone means 'to feel sympathy or compassion for someone who is suffering'.