What to say in a sympathy card: kind and respectful message ideas.

Craft a thoughtful and touching message.

Start designing with Adobe Express

Short and meaningful messages when words are hard to find.

Sometimes, it’s difficult to know what to say when someone is grieving. Short messages can offer comfort and show care without overwhelming the recipient. These messages are simple, heartfelt, and sensitive to the moment.

You can use Adobe Express templates to gently share your message through a physical card or a digital note. Choose calming colours and elegant fonts to match the tone. Start by browsing condolences card templates to find something that fits your recipient and your message.

Supportive messages for close friends.

When someone close to you is grieving, your words can bring some comfort. These messages speak to deep connection, shared memories, and being present for whatever your friend needs.

Whether dealing with the loss of a pet, a family member or a friend, having good friends to lean on in times of grief and sadness is so important. If your friend is dealing with loss, you can show your support with a personalised card, a video montage of favourite moments, and photo gifts for hanging on their wall. Upload your favourite photo of them together to put in a frameable poster, write meaningful notes in a digital scrapbook of memories or design a touching social media tribute.

Tasks
Card-greeting
Topics
Condolences AND death, bereavement, deepest AND flower, waves, somber AND heart, squiggle, frame, elegant, pattern
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(To pull in manually curated templates if needed)

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(Horizontal/Vertical)

Vertical

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sixcols

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(number of templates to load each pagination. Min. 5)

6
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Respectful messages for colleagues and acquaintances.

Even if you weren’t close, expressing sympathy with grace and sensitivity matters. These messages are appropriate for work settings and more formal relationships while still offering care and respect.

Adobe Express can help you create a professional sympathy card or digital message that’s appropriate for the workplace. Select clean, minimal templates that help you share your message simply and respectfully. Learn how to send condolence messages to work colleagues and how to write thank-you messages for your colleagues if you’ve received a message of condolence from them.

Tasks
Card-greeting
Topics
Condolences AND death, loss, illustration AND employee, pet, sympathy AND funeral, marble, veterinary, floral
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Collection ID

(To pull in manually curated templates if needed)

Orientation


(Horizontal/Vertical)

Vertical

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(Full, Std, sixcols)

sixcols

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(number of templates to load each pagination. Min. 5)

6
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All

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How to express sympathy with care.

Every message of sympathy should come from a place of compassion. Whether you know the person well or only briefly, a gentle note can mean a great deal. Keep the focus on offering comfort, not solutions.

Use a ready-made template for your sympathy card and add your messages easily. If someone is coping with the loss of their pet, explore these sympathy sayings to include in your card or find a comforting quote to help someone deal with the loss of their dog.

Tasks
Card-greeting
Topics
empathy, sympathy AND grief, vintage, butterfly, dandelion AND mourning, antique, sorry, sad
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Collection ID

(To pull in manually curated templates if needed)

Orientation


(Horizontal/Vertical)

Vertical

Width


(Full, Std, sixcols)

sixcols

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(number of templates to load each pagination. Min. 5)

6
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All

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Most Viewed

Rare & Original

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Most Viewed
Locales
GB or EN

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(true, false, all) true or false will limit to premium only or free only.

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Thoughtful messages for sympathy cards from children.

Children may want to express care too, and helping them write a card teaches empathy and kindness in moments of grief. These messages are simple, sweet, and age-appropriate, helping children share kindness in their own way.

Adobe Express offers easy-to-use colouring templates that kids can help design and then add to their card. Alternatively, browse all templates and let them choose one that they like. They can then add their own messages and upload their own handmade drawings and doodles. For easy card creation, have them design and print their own sympathy card directly through Adobe Express.

Tasks
Card-greeting
Topics
condolences, condolence, loss AND death, loving AND elephany, doodle, bouquet, poppy
Q

Collection ID

(To pull in manually curated templates if needed)

Orientation


(Horizontal/Vertical)

Vertical

Width


(Full, Std, sixcols)

sixcols

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(number of templates to load each pagination. Min. 5)

6
Animated
All

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Most Viewed

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Crafting your own sympathy card can be a meaningful way to connect and support someone going through a tough time. Take inspiration from the quotes shared here, but ultimately choose words that feel genuine to your relationship and the moment. Browse more meaningful and compassionate messages to include in your sympathy card. If you’re supporting someone arranging a funeral, you can help them create funeral posters and other funeral stationery, such as a Facebook post inviting friends and neighbours to the wake.

Write a touching sympathy card with help from Adobe Express.

Not sure where to start when creating your own sympathy card? Follow these easy steps to design a card that expresses the right tone with care and consideration.

Think about your relationship.
Tailor your message based on how well you know the person. Close friends might appreciate something more personal, while formal contacts may need a more neutral tone.
Choose a template.
Use Adobe Express to select gentle, muted tones like soft blues, greys, or pastels, along with simple, legible fonts. These choices help convey sincerity. Start with simple card templates, such as mint cards and white cards.
Keep the message sincere.
Try not to overcomplicate the message. One or two heartfelt lines can be more powerful than a long paragraph. If you’re still struggling to find the right words, browse these ‘thinking of you’ cards.
Finish and share.
When your card is ready to be printed, you can print it directly through Adobe Express. Alternatively, download your card to send it digitally.

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Adobe Express can help you.

When someone is going through a period of mourning or loss, a sympathy card can be a kind and empathetic way to show your respect and support. Adobe Express offers free templates to help you get started with ease, allowing you to choose your preferred fonts, adjust colours, and personalise messages to suit your tone and style. Whether you’re sending a printed card or digital message, you’ll be able to show your support to someone going through a difficult time.

Tasks
Card-greeting
Topics
condolences
Mini
Yes

Template IDs

(To pull in manually curated templates if needed)

Orientation


(Horizontal/Vertical)

Horizontal

Width


(Full, Std, sixcols)

full

Limit


(number of templates to load each pagination. Min. 5)

23
Animated
All

Sort

Most Viewed

Rare & Original

Newest to Oldest

Oldest to Newest

Newest to Oldest
Locales
GB

Premium


(true, false, all) true or false will limit to premium only or free only.

false