Vocabulary
empathy
noun·/EM-puh-thee/
The ability to understand and share what another person is feeling, to put yourself in their shoes.
Empathy is feeling with someone, not just for them. That distinction is the most common point of confusion (see sympathy below) and the most useful one to get right. In work and leadership it has become one of the most valued soft skills, because understanding how a customer, teammate, or user actually feels is what lets you serve them well. The adjective is "empathetic" (or "empathic").
5 ways to use “empathy” in a sentence
- “Good design starts with empathy for the person who is confused and in a hurry.”
- “She leads with empathy, so people actually tell her the truth.”
- “It took real empathy to see why the customer was so frustrated.”
- “I am working on showing more empathy before jumping to solutions.”
- “A little empathy goes a long way when someone is having a hard week.”
Now say "empathy" out loud, in your own sentence.
The fastest way to actually own a word is to use it when you speak, not just read it. Practice in TalkStride and get scored on how clearly it comes out.
Common mistakes
- Using it interchangeably with sympathy. Empathy is sharing the feeling; sympathy is feeling sorry for someone.
- Saying "em-PATH-ee" with the wrong stress; the stress is on the first syllable, EM.
- Using "empathy" when you need the adjective. The person is "empathetic," they have "empathy."
Similar words, and how they differ
sympathy
Sympathy is feeling sorry FOR someone from the outside. Empathy is feeling WITH them, sharing the emotion.
compassion
Compassion is empathy plus the urge to help. It adds action to the understanding.
pity
Pity looks down on someone from above. Empathy meets them at eye level. Pity often feels condescending.