Which emotion is closely related to sympathy?

Sympathy is an emotion that involves understanding and sharing the feelings of another person, particularly in situations of suffering or distress. Compassion is closely related to sympathy because it encompasses both the emotional connection and the desire to help alleviate the suffering of others. When someone feels sympathy, they can empathize with another's plight, and compassion can motivate them to take action to provide support or assistance. This connection between sympathy and compassion highlights a deeper level of care and concern for others' well-being.

In contrast, happiness does not have the same connotation of understanding or responding to the distress of others. Disdain implies a feeling of contempt or scorn, which is entirely the opposite of the supportive nature of sympathy. Pride involves a sense of self-satisfaction or superiority, lacking the emotional connection to others’ experiences that sympathy and compassion embody. Thus, compassion stands out as the most appropriate emotion closely related to sympathy.