45 Best Sympathy Quotes to Comfort After Loss

Being in grief can be a very difficult time. It's not easy to find comfort when you're feeling like your world is falling apart, but these quotes should help you through the dark times. You'll find memorial quotes and writing tips that offer solace and hope for the future. These quotes will inspire you, or someone you love, to keep going even on your darkest days!

Saying the wrong thing to a grieving person can be a fear for a lot of people. Here's a complete list of kind words and words of comfort to help you express deep sympathy.

What are good sympathy messages?

A good message is one that offers comfort and hope to the person who is going through the grieving process. It should be heartfelt and show sincere sympathy, letting the person know that you are there for them and that you care about their lost loved one.

Sometimes, just knowing that someone else understands what they are going through can make all the difference.

One of our most beloved sympathy quotes is:

"Your life was a blessing, your memory a treasure, you are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure."

(Renee Wood copyright)

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What can I say instead of "Deepest sympathy"?

  • May knowing you're in the hearts and thoughts of others help you through this time of sorrow.
  • Extending sympathy for you in your loss and hoping, too, that comfort and peace may come to you.
  • Praying for friends to comfort you, faith to uphold you, and loving memories to help you smile again.

You can say that you are sorry for their loss or that they are in your thoughts and prayers during their time of grief. You could also offer to be there for them and offer specific ways you are able to help. Letting the person who is grieving know that you are there for them and is a way to show your deepest sympathies without saying the words.

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More quotes for loss of a loved one:

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart."
-- Helen Keller

"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; love leaves a memory no one can steal."
-- From a headstone in Ireland

"Grief is the price we pay for love."
-- E.A. Bucchianeri

"It is not the length of life, but the depth of life."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

"When you are sorrowful, look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for yourself and your own delight."
-- Kahlil Gibran

"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassions, gentleness, and a deep loving concern."
-- Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

"You will lose someone you can’t live without, and your heart will be badly broken, and the bad news is that you never completely get over the loss of your beloved. But this is also the good news. They live forever in your broken heart that doesn’t seal back up. And you come through. It’s like having a broken leg that never heals perfectly—that still hurts when the weather gets cold, but you learn to dance with the limp."
-- Anne Lamott

"There are some who bring a light so great to the world that even after they are gone, the light remains."

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"It will be the little things that you will remember, the quiet moments, the smiles, the laughter. And although it may seem hard right now, it will be the memories of these little things that help to push away the pain and bring the smiles back again.

There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart."
~ Mahatma Gandhi

"Like a bird singing in the rain, let grateful memories survive in time of sorrow."
~ Robert Louis Stevenson

"When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for yourself."
~ Kahlil Gibran

"There are no goodbyes for us, wherever you are, you will always be in my heart."
~ Gandhi

"Good-bye is not forever; farewell is not the end. It simply means I'll miss you until we meet again."

What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us."
~ Helen Keller

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What should a sympathy card say?

Sympathy cards should express your condolences with a personal sympathy message and let the person know that you are thinking of them and that their loved one will be deeply missed. You can also include a handwritten note or postcard if you want to add a more personal touch.

What can I say instead of "Sorry for your loss"?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best thing to say will vary depending on the relationship you have with the person who has lost a loved one. However, some possible ways to express heartfelt sympathy include "my thoughts are with you," "you are in my prayers," or "I am here for you if you need anything."

What should I write in a sympathy card to a friend?

A condolence card to a friend should express your condolences and let them know that you are there for them. You can also include a personal message letting them know how much you care about them. If you want, you can ask if there is anything you can do to help out.

It's important to follow-up with your friend after a few weeks to check in on them and see how they are doing. Honoring the feelings of others as they move through grief is something that may take time to figure out how to do.

Sympathy messages offer comfort during difficult times. They provide hope for the future and help people understand that their feelings are normal.

Looking for religious sympathy messages?

Religious Sympathy Quotes:

  • May the love of God bring you comfort at this difficult time.
  • God's grace is all-powerful and can give you the strength to get through anything.
  • "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
    -- Bible Verse Psalm 34:18
  • May the love of your angel softly enfold you. Gently uplift you, comfort and hold you.
  • The spirit rejoices when our loved ones are finally home.
  • A great soul has left this earthly life and will be deeply missed until we meet again.
  • The darker the night, the brighter the stars, the deeper the grief, the closer is God!
  • Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal.
  • When you lose someone you love, you gain an angel you know.
  • "Earth hath no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal."
    -- Thomas Moore
  • "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."
    -- John 11:25,2

What is a good condolence message to a colleague or coworker?

Good sympathy messages to a colleague or coworker should be heartfelt and sincere. They should also let them know that you care about their well-being. Try saying something like "my thoughts are with you, and I am so sorry for your loss," "I am here for you if there is anything I can do," or "please reach out if there's anything I can do to help."

How can I express my condolences in a lovely way?

There are many different ways to express your deepest sympathies. You can send a sympathy card, flowers, or a gift. You could also make a donation in the person's name or offer to help out with funeral costs. Attending the memorial service will help the bereaved feel surrounded with those who care. Be sure to reach out in the weeks ahead with a phone call, text or card.

There are many helpful sympathy messages to help people through hard times. The following offer a stoics approach to grief with a deeper philosophical perspective that lets sorrow bring peace. Finding the right words isn't easy for a wounded heart, so borrowing words from the masters can be a helpful gesture.

"It is not the length of life, but the depth of life." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

This quote reminds us that it's not how long we live, but how well we live that matters. It offers hope for the future and helps us understand that our feelings are normal. This can be helpful when we are struggling to get through tough times.

"Grief is the price we pay for love." -- E.A. Bucchianeri

This quote reminds us that the pain of grief is a sign of how much we loved someone. It offers comfort and hope during difficult times.

"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; love leaves a memory no one can steal." -- From a headstone in Ireland

This quote reminds us that while death cannot be undone, we should not let grief overwhelm our lives. It offers comfort and hope during difficult times.

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart." -- Helen Keller

This quote reminds us that the things we love most in life are not physical, but rather they come from within. It offers comfort and hope during difficult times.

How do I write a sympathy card?

Writing a sympathy card can be difficult, especially if you are not familiar with the person who has passed away. When writing your condolence message, it's important that your wording is heartfelt and sincere.

Here are a few tips for writing sympathy card messages:

  • Keep it brief and simple
  • Avoid any religious themes, unless you know the person was a particular faith
  • Avoid saying things like "at least they are in a better place" or "they're looking down on us from heaven," as this can be upsetting to those who do not share your beliefs
  • Be sure to use their loved one's name in the card because the most important thing you can do is to continue saying their name when other's have stopped.

It's never a mistake to say "Sorry for your loss, you're in my thoughts and prayers" to express your sincerest condolences. However, the most comforting personal sympathy message you can write in loving memory of a great soul who has passed away is to write a favorite remembrance of them in your sympathy cards. People want to know their loved one won't be forgotten. Sending sympathy messages on holidays and other special dates is encouraged!

Your sympathy card can offer a favorite memory quote, such as this one from Helen Keller: "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched but must be felt with the heart". We're sure you'll find just the right thing to express your sincere condolences and sympathy messages.

Is it ever too late to express sympathy?

There is no time limit or correct way to express sympathy. You can send a card, call the family on the phone, visit in person or offer you condolences online through the online obituary websites. As a general rule, the first year of grieving can be the most difficult. Remembering someone as they move through the many "firsts" after losing a loved one is very important.

What can I say for the loss of a child?

Losing a child is one of the most difficult things a parent can go through. The following quotes can be used to express your condolences to a grieving parent:

  • Only a moment in your arms, but forever in your heart.
  • Those we have held in our arms for a little while, we hold in our hearts forever.
  • We knew your beauty for a moment but hold your memory for a lifetime.

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How can I express my deepest condolences for the loss of a friend?

Losing a friend is always difficult. The following suggestions can be used to express your condolences:

"I am so sorry for the loss of your dear friend. Losing someone you care about is never easy and my thoughts are with you during this difficult time."

"Your friendship was one that I will cherish forever. He/She will be missed more than words can say."

"Your friend was such a special person and I feel so lucky to have known him/her. My thoughts are with you during this difficult time."

These messages offer comfort and understanding to those who have lost a friend. They let them know that they are in your thoughts and prayers.

What are some good condolence messages for losing a sibling?

The following sympathy quote can be used to express your condolences for the loss of a sibling:

  • "Saying goodbye is never easy. Losing a family member is like losing part of yourself. My thoughts are with you during this difficult time."
  • "Your brother/sister was such a special person and I feel so lucky to have known him/her. I will miss him/her dearly."

These sympathy quotes offer comfort and understanding to those who have lost a sibling. They let them know that they are in your thoughts and prayers, and that you care about their well-being.

What can I say to someone grieving the loss of a beloved pet?

Saying goodbye to a loyal companion is never easy. The following sayings are just suggestions on how to express condolences for the loss of a pet or you can create your own sympathy message can be used to express your condolences for the loss of a pet:

"I am so sorry for your loss. Losing a beloved pet can be so difficult.  They are such a source of unconditional love and I know they will be missed."

A heartfelt message can offer comfort and understanding to those who have lost a pet. Even though they are not human, their loss is just as significant, and they will be greatly missed.

Famous Quotes to bring Comfort:

"Only people who are capable of loving strongly can also suffer great sorrow, but this same necessity of loving serves to counteract their grief and heals them."
-- Leo Tolstoy

"Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak knits up the o-er wrought heart and bids it break."
-- William Shakespeare, Macbeth

"When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight."
-- Kahlil Gibran

"May knowing you're in the hearts and thoughts of others help you and yours through this time of sorrow.

Although no words can really help to ease the loss you bear,
just know that you are very close in every thought and prayer.

The sorrow of the faithful
is not that of permanent loss,
but the tender sense of sadness
that comes in saying good-bye for now to someone we love.

May today's sorrow give way
to the peace and
comfort of God's love.

What we have once enjoyed
we can never lose...
All that we love deeply
becomes a part of us."
-- Helen Keller

***

Extending deepest sympathy
For you in your loss.
And hoping, too,
That comfort and peace
May come to you.

***

Praying for friends to comfort you, faith to uphold you,
and loving memories
to help you smile again.

***

At this time of sorrow,
may these truths sustain you...
Your loved one will always
be as close as a memory,
and the God of all comfort
will always be as
close as a prayer.

***

The tide recedes but leaves behind bright seashells on the sand.
The sun goes down, but gentle
warmth still lingers on the land.
The music stops, and yet it echoes
on in sweet refrains.....
For every joy that passes,
something beautiful remains.

***

Sadly missed along life's way,
quietly remembered every day...
No longer in our life to share,
but in our hearts, you're always there.

***

Words, however kind,
can't mend your heartache:
but those who care and
share your loss wish you
comfort and peace of mind.

***

May you find strength
in the love of family
and in the warm embrace
of friends.

It will be the little things
that you will remember,
the quiet moments,
the smiles, the laughter.
And although it may seem
hard right now,
it will be the memories
of these little things
that help to push
away the pain
and bring the smiles
back again.

***

"There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief...and unspeakable love."
-- Washington Irving

"Whoever you hold in the heart of you
Is forever and always a part of you.

To live in hearts we leave behind
Is not to die."
-- Thomas Campbell, 'Hallowed Ground'

***

What moves through us is a silence, a quiet sadness, a longing for one more day, one more word, one more touch, we may not understand why you left this earth so soon, or why you left before we were ready to say good-bye, but little by little, we begin to remember not just that you died, but that you lived. And that your life gave us memories too beautiful to forget.

Although it's difficult today to see beyond the sorrow,
May looking back in memory help comfort you tomorrow.

***

“Those we love don't go away,
They walk beside us every day,
Unseen, unheard, but always near,
Still loved, still missed and very dear.

Life is eternal, and love is immortal,
and death is only a horizon;
and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight."
-- Rossiter Worthington Raymond

"While we are mourning the loss of our friend, others are rejoicing to meet him behind the veil."
-- John Taylor

"Although it's difficult today to see beyond the sorrow,
May looking back in memory help comfort you tomorrow."
-- Author Unknown

"Grieve not, nor speak of me with tears, but laugh
And talk of me as if I were beside you. I loved
You so—‘twas heaven here with you."
-- Isla Paschal Richardson

"For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity."
-- William Penn

"The angels are always near to those who are grieving, to whisper to them that their loved ones are safe in the hand of God."
-- Quoted in The Angels' Little Instruction Book by Eileen Elias Freeman, 1994

"Those we hold closest to our hearts never truly leave us. They live on in the kindness they have shared and the love they brought into our lives."
-- Author Unknown

"Although it's difficult today to see beyond the sorrow,
May looking back in memory help comfort you tomorrow."
-- Author Unknown

"May you see God's light on the path ahead
When the road you walk is dark.
May you always hear,
Even in your hour of sorrow,
The gentle singing of the lark.
When times are hard may hardness
Never turn your heart to stone,
May you always remember
when the shadows fall—
You do not walk alone."
-- Irish Blessing

"He who has gone, so we but cherish his memory, abides with us, more potent, nay, more present than the living man."
-- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

"There's a very special garden
Where the trees of memory grow
Nurtured by the kindness
And concern that good friends show.
The roots are cherished memories Of good times in the past.
The branches tender promises that souls endure and last.
It's a place of peace and beauty
Where bright new hopes can start
It's memory's lovely garden That soothes the hurting heart"
-- Unknown

***

Remember me in the family tree; my name, my days, my strife. Then I'll ride upon the wings of time and live an endless life.

***

Words often don’t express the feelings we have but sometimes those words can get us through hard times. Take solace in the memories of a wonderful person that touched the lives of many.

***

"Like a bird singing in the rain, let grateful memories survive in time of sorrow."
–- Robert Louis Stevenson

***

A beautiful soul is never forgotten, just remembered with great love. 

***

Those who touch our lives, stay in our hearts forever.

***

The love in our family flows strong and deep, leaving us memories to treasure and keep.

***

I loved you for your whole life and I will remember you for the rest of mine.

***

Death leaves a heartache nothing can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.

***

People come into our lives and leave footprints on our hearts and we are never the same.

***

Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.

***

It's hard to forget someone who have us so many memories to remember.

***

Short sympathy sentiments.

  • Grateful memories survive and will light your way through the darkness.
  • So many lives were changed because of one special life.
  • Always in our minds and hearts forever.
  • With sincerest sympathy and remembrance.
  • Sincere sympathy for such a difficult loss.
  • Sincere condolences for the loss of such an amazing person.
  • May your beautiful memories of a remarkable life comfort you.
  • A great soul never dies, they live on forever in our heart.
  • Those we love deeply become a part of us forever.
  • Deep grief is the result of deep love.
  • Words fail but loving memories prevail.
  • Only a moment in our arms but forever in our hearts.
  • Present grief will be replaced with treasured memories.
  • So many smiles are worth all the tears.
  • When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure.
  • "Like a bird singing in the rain, let grateful memories survive in time of sorrow." -- Robert Louis Stevenson
  • "When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for yourself." -- Kahlil Gibran
  • When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure.
  • "There are no goodbyes for us, wherever you are, you will always be in my heart." -- Gandhi
  • Good-bye is not forever; farewell is not the end. It simply means I'll miss you until we meet again.
  • "What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us." -- Helen Keller
  • Those we love don't go away, the walk beside us every day, Unseen, unheard but always near, so loved, so missed ad held so dear.
  • With great grief, there lies within so much love.

Best words to comfort someone who lost a loved one:

Losing a loved one is one of life's most challenging experiences, and finding the right words to provide comfort and solace can be equally daunting. In times of grief, it's essential to offer heartfelt condolences and support to those who are mourning.

1. Express Your Sympathy: Begin with a simple and sincere expression of sympathy. Phrases like "I'm so sorry for your loss" or "My heart goes out to you during this difficult time" convey your empathy.

2. Share Fond Memories: Reminisce about the cherished memories you have of the departed. Sharing stories or anecdotes can help celebrate their life and provide comfort.

3. Offer a Listening Ear: Let them know that you're there to listen whenever they want to talk. Sometimes, all someone needs is someone to confide in.

4. Use Empathetic Phrases: Phrases like "I can't imagine what you're going through" or "I'm here for you, no matter what" show your understanding and support.

5. Avoid Clichés: Try to avoid using clichés like "everything happens for a reason" or "they are in a better place." These phrases may not provide the comfort you intend.

6. Acknowledge Their Pain: Let them know that grief is a natural and personal process, and it's okay to feel a wide range of emotions.

7. Offer Practical Help: Offer assistance with practical matters such as preparing meals, running errands, or providing childcare, which can be a tremendous help during this time.

8. Send a Thoughtful Card or Text Message: A heartfelt sympathy card or a personal message can provide ongoing comfort and support.

9. Respect Their Wishes: Everyone grieves differently, so respect their need for space or companionship based on their preferences.

10. Follow Up: After some time has passed, check in on them. Grief doesn't have a set timeline, and ongoing support is often appreciated.

Remember, there are no perfect words that can entirely ease the pain of losing a loved one, but showing empathy, understanding, and support can go a long way in providing comfort during their difficult journey of grief.

For more guidance on comforting someone who has lost a loved one, please feel free to reach out to us. We are here to help you navigate through this challenging time with empathy and care.

Here's a lovely blog post with more information on what to say when someone dies.

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