The phrase "appeal to sympathy" refers to a situation where someone tries to elicit the pity and compassion of someone else in order to gain their support or assistance. Some common synonyms for this phrase include "play on emotions," "tug at the heartstrings," "invoke compassion," "plead for mercy," "ask for clemency," "court sympathy," and "trigger empathy." These phrases can be used to describe a wide range of situations, from a public speaker trying to rally support for a cause to a defendant in court making a case for a lighter sentence. Regardless of the context in which they are used, all of these phrases focus on the emotional appeal of the argument being made, rather than on logical or rational grounds.