50 Heartfelt Condolence Messages That Show You Care

For when you need a little help finding the right words.

Sympathy messages

65 Sympathy Messages To Use In a Condolence Card

Show up for a grieving friend or family member with one of these comforting messages.

on September 30, 2022

Expressing our sympathy during a time of grief to a friend or family member is never easy. It’s hard to find the right words to say, especially when all you want to do is support your loved one. Saying “I’m sorry,” buying flowers and baking a casserole just doesn’t feel like enough. If you’re in need of a unique uplifting or meaningful message for a sympathy card — to send to a friend or family member after someone has passed away — take comfort in the fact that you are not alone. And the same rule applies to someone you barely know (like a new co-worker or neighbor) — saying “I’m sorry” sometimes feels a little removed, like maybe you don’t really mean it even though you totally do. It can be hard to figure out what to write in a sympathy card . These 65 sympathy quotes and short condolence for the loss of a mother or sympathy quotes for loss of a father — along with religious sympathy quotes — are sure to offer some comfort and peace during an emotional time.

• “The phrase “there are no words” seems like the only thing that fits right now. I cannot fathom what you’re going through, but I love you and am thinking of you.” —Anonymous
• “There is love in holding and there is love in letting go.” —Elizabeth Berg
• “There is no greater sorrow than to recall happiness in times of misery.” —Dante Alighieri
• “End? No, the journey doesn’t end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The gray rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it.” —J.R.R. Tolkien
• “Grief is the price we pay for love.” —Queen Elizabeth II
• “Grief when it comes, it is nothing like we expect it to be.” —Joan Didion
• “When we are learning the world, we know things we cannot say how we know. When we are relearning the world in the aftermath of a loss, we feel things we had almost forgotten, old things, beneath the seat of reason.” —Meghan O’Rourke
• “Death? Be as proud as you want: bore me later, because Love is sovereign here. Life never ends. Joy comes in the morning. Glory hallelujah. And let it be so.” —Anne Lamott
• “Unable are the Loved to die/ For Love is Immortality.” —Emily Dickinson, Poem 809
• “I wanted a perfect ending. Now I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity.” —Gilda Radner
• “Those we love don’t go away, they walk beside us everyday.” —Unknown
• “As a well spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well spent brings happy death.” —Leonardo Da Vinci
• “What is lovely never dies, But passes into other loveliness.” —Thomas Bailey Aldrich
• “Across the years I will walk with you, in deep green forests, on shores of sand and when our time on earth is through, in heaven too, you will have my hand!” —Robert Sexton
• “Darkness may hide the trees and the flowers from the eyes but it cannot hide love from the soul.” —Rumi
• “No, the camera can’t steal the soul. But it can occasionally hold it hostage.” —Unknown
• Sorrow is so easy to express and yet so hard to tell.” —Joni Mitchell
• “May you take comfort in knowing there is one more angel above us.” —Unknown
• “Grant but memory to us and we lose nothing by death.” —Whittier
• “As we go through the journey of life, we must remember that the impressions we leave behind will define who and what we are. They are just as individual as the paths we have chosen to walk. So leave good impressions wherever you go.” —Dave Hedges
• “There is no pain so great as the Memory of joy in present grief.” —Aeschylus
• “Oh heart, if one should say to you that the soul perishes like the body, answer that the flower withers, but the seed remains.” —Kahlil Gibran
• “The Remembrance of the good done those we have loved is the only consolation when we have lost them.” —Demoustier
• “What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” —Helen Keller
• “There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart.” —Mahatma Gandhi
• “Wishing you strength for today and hope for tomorrow.” —Renee O’neill
• “It’s hard to forget someone who gave you so much to remember. —Unknown
• “A mother’s grief is as timeless as her love.” —Joanne Cacciatore
• “There is something about losing your mother that is permanent and inexpressible a wound that will never quite heal.” —Susan Wiggs
• “When I am lonely, I think of you and all that you brought to my life. Your memory rests gently on my soul.” —Cindy Adkins
• “To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” —Thomas Campbell
• “Grief never ends, but it changes. It’s a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. It is the price of love.” —Unknown
• “Those we love and lose are always connected by heartstrings into infinity.” —Terri Guillemets
• “How very softly you tiptoed into our world, almost silently, only a moment you stayed. But what an imprint your footsteps have left upon our hearts.” —Dorothy Ferguson
• “The object is not to forget, but to remember to go on.” —Unknown
• “What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” —Helen Keller
• “Grief is like the ocean; it comes on waves ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.” —Vicki Harrison
• “There are some who bring a light so great to the world that even after they have gone, the light remains.” —Unknown

• “Earth hath no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal.” —Thomas Moore
• “May He who knows your sorrow bring peace, comfort, and healing to your soul.” —Unknown
• “Please know that I am praying for your peace and comfort.” —Unknown
• “For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity.” —William Penn
• “When you lose someone you love, you gain an angel you know.” —Unknown
• “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” —Matthew 5:4
• “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” —Psalm 46:1
• “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” —Isaiah 43:2

• “Those we have held in our arms for a little while, we hold in our hearts forever.” —Unknown
• “I am so sorry for your loss.” —Unknown
• “We are with you through this difficult time.” —Unknown
• “May the sorrow you feel in your heart lighten by the love that surrounds you.” —Unknown
• “Hoping you feel surrounded by much love.” —Unknown
• “Sending you my love and comfort. Deepest sympathies for your loss” —Unknown
• “May loving memories ease your loss and bring you comfort.” —Unknown
• “Gone but not forgotten.” —Unknown
• “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” —Abraham Lincoln
• “It is not length of life, but depth of life.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.” —Unknown

• “Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.” —Eskimo Proverb
• “The sun, the moon, the wind, the stars, will forever be around, reminding you of the love you shared, and the peace she’s finally found.” —Unknown
• “I know for certain that we never lose the people we love, even to death. They continue to participate in every act, thought and decision we make. Their love leaves an indelible imprint in our memories. We find comfort in knowing that our lives have been enriched by having shared their love.” —Leo Buscaglia
• “There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart.” —Mahatma Gandhi
• “A great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies. It brings us together again and again.” —Maya Angelou
• “May love be what you remember most.” —Darcie Sims
• “When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure.” —Unknown
• “May you find comfort in loving memories, strength in the support of those who care, and hope in each new day.” —Unknown

50 Heartfelt Condolence Messages That Show You Care

For when you need a little help finding the right words.

Losing a loved one is never easy. And when someone close to you is grieving a loss, it’s important to show that you care. But sometimes, finding the right words to say can be somewhat difficult. As delicate as a situation like this is, you want to make sure you sound genuine while also being mindful of how you come across.

Though there’s nothing you can say that can end the pain they’re feeling—being empathetic is always a good first step. We’ve curated a list of heartfelt condolence messages that will show your grieving friend you care. Some act as cheerful pick-me-ups because you can never go wrong with a solid happy quote. Others are more personal and are ideal for those who have lost a family member.

Loss is hard, but being there for your loved one is helpful. Whether you send these condolence messages as a text, email, written card, or in person—they’ll definitely appreciate it.

Condolence Messages for Friends

• Losing someone so close is so hard. However I can support you, I’ll be sure to do.
• Words cannot describe how sorry I am for your loss. I can’t imagine your pain and grief at this time.
• Don’t hesitate to rely on our friendship as a source of comfort and strength.
• Time helps minimize grief, but it will never get rid of the love you shared.
• Use this time to be kind and gentle with yourself.
• Every star I see will remind me of the light they shared.
• Don’t be afraid to lean on us during this time. We’re here for you.
• My heart goes out to you for the loss of your dear friend. I know how much they meant to you. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
• You’re dealing with the shock of the news and the pain of the loss—that’s a lot. Cry as much as you need.
• Losing a dear friend is a pain that cannot be described. I’m so sorry.
• Let me take you out to lunch and you can share all your favorite stories of him/her.
• My heart hurts for you, and I grieve with you.
• Grief is all the love you want to give but can’t anymore. I’m heartbroken for your loss.
• I cannot imagine the pain and heartache you’re feeling. I am praying for your peace and comfort.
• There are things death cannot touch, and your love for him/her is one of them.
• Nothing about this is easy, and it just hurts. I’m so sorry, my friend.
• I wish I knew the perfect thing to say to make it all better, but those words don’t exist, so instead: I love you.
• I’m praying for you and your loved ones as you struggle with this immense loss.
• I know that grief comes in waves. That’s why I intend to be with you throughout this difficult journey.
• The world is a little darker today from the loss of his/her light.

Condolence Messages for Co-Workers

• I am so sad for you. I know how much you must miss them more than anything.
• Sharing your sadness during this time.
• Words can’t express my sorrow for you and your family. Please accept my condolences.
• May your happy memories soon outweigh the sadness you’re feeling.
• May you have a treasure box full of memories of your loved one that shine like jewels.
• Please accept my sincere condolences.
• Sending you and your family all my love and support.
• Thinking of you and your family during this time.
• So sorry for your loss. Let me know if there is any way I can support you at this time.
• There are no words to express our sorrow. Please know that we are thinking of you.

Short Condolence Messages

• I will be thinking of you in this moment of pain.
• Condolences to you on the sad passing of [Name>.
• A life well-lived.
• Lean on me as much as you need.
• Our teacher and mentor, our source of inspiration. May they rest in peace.
• They fought the fight and finished the course with faith.
• My heart is with you in your time of sorrow.
• Words cannot even begin to express our compassion for you in this moment.
• May your heart and soul find peace and comfort.
• Forever remembered, forever missed.

Condolence Messages for Someone Who Lost a Parent

• They helped guide you while they were here, and you can count on them doing the same from up above.
• Sending you the strength and courage you need to face the days ahead without your mom/dad.
• Losing a parent is like losing a piece of you.
• Your grief feels so deep because your love for them is so big.
• He/she may be gone, but he/she will always be here in our hearts.
• I’m so sorry to hear of your loss. He/she will be truly missed.
• May his/her soul rest in peace, and may you find peace as well.
• Loss is a part of life, but that doesn’t make it any easier—all my love to you as you navigate these uncharted waters.
• I may not have ever met him/her, but if you’re a reflection of them, they must have been really amazing.
• Your mom/dad was a great person who touched so many lives, including mine. I will miss her/him.

Josiah Soto is the assistant editor of news and social for The Pioneer Woman. He helps manage the website’s social channels, in addition to writing high-performing news and entertainment content daily.