Sentence:  Poor where they had once been rich , humbled where they had been arrogant , having no longer any hope of sharing in the leadership of the nation , the rebels who would not surrender in spirit drew comfort from the <WSD>sympathy</WSD> they felt extended to them by the mother country . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  sharing the feelings of others (especially feelings of sorrow or anguish)