Sample Sympathy Letters

Find inspiration in our curated catalog of sympathy letters. Each sample letter comes with guidelines and advice to help you find the right words.

Sympathy letters are letters you write to express sorrow and concern for someone else's misfortune. Maybe this person has experienced a huge personal loss or was recently divorced. Perhaps you know of an expectant mother who has just experienced a painful miscarriage. These are the times you just need to find the right words to say the right things. Drafting a sympathy letter will bring great solace to the recipient, who may keep the letter for years and read it over and over again. The purpose of this letter is to let the recipient know that you know what he/she is going through and that he/she can count on you during this difficult time.

The best sympathy letters are those that are genuine and come from the heart. Be brief and mention how you learned about the news. Be empathetic and sensitive with your words. Be careful not to give advice when none is needed. Do not try to compare your loss with theirs. Encourage the recipient simply and honestly. Offer your help and support but do not make promises that you cannot keep. End the letter with an expression of affection, sympathy, or comfort