Word
empathy
Phoneticsem·pa·thy, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɛmpəθi/
UK/ˈɛmpəθi/
Definitions
01understanding others' feelings
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the ability to imagine how someone else feels and to understand their situation.
n. the cognitive and emotional capacity to identify with and understand the internal state of another person.
“She felt great empathy for the refugees after hearing their personal stories.”
“Developing deep empathy for one's patients is considered a core competency in modern medical training, as it significantly improves health outcomes.”
Pitfall
I have a lot of empathy to him.
I have a lot of empathy for him.
Use the preposition 'for' or 'with' when expressing empathy toward a person.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02psychic ability
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Informal
n. a special power in stories where a person can read or feel other people's emotions directly.
n. a hypothetical or paranormal ability to perceive the mental or emotional state of another individual through non-sensory means.
“In the sci-fi movie, the alien used empathy to sense if the humans were lying.”
“The protagonist's burgeoning empathy allowed her to navigate the social complexities of the royal court by sensing the hidden motives of the advisors.”
Confusables
Sympathy is feeling for someone; empathy is feeling with someone.
RememberSympathy = Support. Empathy = Experience.
Real-World Examples
“We believe that reading is empathy operating in its simplest form: imagining your way into someone else’s experience and understanding the ripple effects of their actions.” “Barish recommends volunteering as a family and regularly talking with children, beginning at a young age, about kindness, empathy, and understanding other people's feelings and needs.” “But empathy and respect can open the door to necessary conversations.” Etymology
A twentieth-century borrowing from Ancient Greek ἐμπάθεια (empátheia, literally “passion”) (formed from ἐν (en, “in, at”) + πάθος (páthos, “feeling”)), equivalent to em- + -pathy, coined by Edward Bradford Titchener in 1909 to translate German Einfühlung. The modern word in Greek εμπάθεια (empátheia) has an opposite meaning denoting strong negative feelings and prejudice against someone.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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