Empathy — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈem-pə-thē/ em·pa·thy

Meaning & Definition of Empathy

Empathy (noun)

  1. the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another; also, the capacity for this
  2. the act of imagining one's ideas, feelings, or attitudes as fully inhabiting something observed (such as a work of art or natural occurrence), the imaginative projection of a subjective state into an object so that the object appears to be infused with it

Empathy (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the feeling that you understand and share another person's experiences and emotions

    "He felt great empathy toward the poor."

    similar: pity, sympathy, understanding, charity, clemency, forbearance, lenience, leniency, lenity, mercifulness, mercy, quarter, humanitarianism, philanthropy, commiseration, favor, grace, benevolence, care, compassion, gentleness, goodness, goodwill, humaneness, kindliness, kindness, meekness, mildness, niceness, softness, tenderness, altruism, generosity, magnanimity, nobility, affection, devotion, love, worship
    opposite: hard-heartedness, mercilessness, pitilessness, ruthlessness, uncharitableness, reprisal, requital, retaliation, retribution, revenge, vengeance, venom, vindictiveness, virulence, vitriol, atrocity, barbarity, brutality, cruelty, sadism, savageness, savagery, truculence, viciousness, violence, wantonness, castigation, chastisement, discipline, punishment, scolding, abhorrence, abomination, detestation, execration, hate, hatred, loathing, cattiness, malevolence, malice, maliciousness, malignancy, malignity, meanness, nastiness, spite, spitefulness, spleen, animosity, antagonism, antipathy, bitterness, enmity, gall, grudge, hostility, jealousy, pique, resentment, bile, jaundice, rancor, hatefulness, invidiousness, coarseness, hardness, harshness, roughness

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Empathy

The most common words with a similar meaning to Empathy:

pity, sympathy, understanding, charity, clemency, forbearance, lenience, leniency, lenity, mercifulness, mercy, quarter, humanitarianism, philanthropy, commiseration, favor, grace, benevolence, care, compassion, gentleness, goodness, goodwill, humaneness, kindliness, kindness, meekness, mildness, niceness, softness, tenderness, altruism, generosity, magnanimity, nobility, affection, devotion, love, worship

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Empathy

Words with the opposite meaning of Empathy:

hard-heartedness, mercilessness, pitilessness, ruthlessness, uncharitableness, reprisal, requital, retaliation, retribution, revenge, vengeance, venom, vindictiveness, virulence, vitriol, atrocity, barbarity, brutality, cruelty, sadism, savageness, savagery, truculence, viciousness, violence, wantonness, castigation, chastisement, discipline, punishment

Origin & Etymology of Empathy

Greek empatheia, literally, passion, from empathēs emotional, from em- + pathos feelings, emotion pathos

First known use: 1909

Frequently Asked Questions about Empathy

What does "Empathy" mean?

"Empathy" means the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another; also, the capacity for this. As a noun, it is defined as: the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another; also, the capacity for this.

What is another word for "Empathy"?

Other words for "Empathy" include pity, sympathy, understanding, charity, clemency, forbearance, lenience and leniency. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Empathy" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Empathy"?

There are 39 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Empathy". Common alternatives include pity, sympathy, understanding, charity, clemency, forbearance, lenience, leniency, lenity and mercifulness.

What is the opposite of "Empathy"?

Antonyms of "Empathy" include hard-heartedness, mercilessness, pitilessness, ruthlessness, uncharitableness, reprisal, requital and retaliation.

How do you use "Empathy" in a sentence?

Examples of "Empathy" in a sentence: "He felt great empathy toward the poor.".

Is "Empathy" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Empathy" is a noun.

How do you pronounce "Empathy"?

"Empathy" is pronounced /ˈem-pə-thē/ and divided into syllables as em·pa·thy.

What is the origin of the word "Empathy"?

"Empathy" comes from Greek empatheia, literally, passion, from empathēs emotional, from em- + pathos feelings, emotion pathos. First known use: 1909.