Commiserated about skinflint (5)
I believe the answer is:
miser
'skinflint' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'commiserated about' is the wordplay.
'about' says the answer is hidden in the clue (the clue goes around or about the answer).
'MISER' is hidden within 'commiserated'.
(Other definitions for miser that I've seen before include "Tight-fisted person" , "Mean-minded type" , "Penny-pinching person like Scrooge" , "Skinflint, like Scrooge" , "Money-grubber" .)