English Reference
Adjective

empathetic

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˌɛmpəˈθɛtɪk/ UK /ˌɛmpɐθˈɛtɪk/ em·pa·thet·ic

adj.able to understand and share the feelings of others. You use this to describe someone who is kind and sensitive to how other people feel.

adj.capable of understanding and sharing the feelings of another. Often used to describe a person's emotional intelligence or a system's ability to respond to user needs.


SIMPLE

She is very empathetic and always listens to her friends.

CONTEXTUAL

The new software is designed to be more empathetic, responding to the user's frustration with a calming tone.

COMPLEX

A truly empathetic leader does not merely hear the concerns of their team but actively seeks to understand the underlying emotional states that drive those concerns.

Don't confuse

empathetic vs sympathetic — Sympathetic means you feel pity for someone's hardship; empathetic means you actually share and understand their internal feelings.

The goal is not to force someone to admit they have a problem but to create a space for an honest and empathetic conversation.

The Conversation· 17 Aug 2026

I don’t blame them, because there are studies showing that these LLMs are providing more empathetic advice, even if it’s not correct: it’s quicker and faster and it seems complete.

The Guardian· 27 Aug 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated