DictionaryAI

empathy

noun
USEM-puh-thee/ˈɛmpəθi/

Often confused with sympathy

3 meanings of empathy

Practice

  1. 1
    understanding othersnoununcountable
    The ability to understand how another person feels and what they think.

    Like trying on someone else's shoes to feel how they walk.

    Our teacher showed real empathy when my dog died.

    Reading stories can help children build empathy for others.

    UsageSay empathy for someone. It means understanding how they feel, not just feeling sorry (sympathy).

    Similarunderstanding, sympathy, compassion

    Note
  2. 2
    psychic powernoununcountable
    A power beyond the normal senses to know what another person is feeling.

    In the comic, the hero uses her empathy to feel the anger of people in another room.

    The fortune teller said her empathy let her feel my worries before I spoke.

    Note
  3. 3
    drugnounobsoleteuncountable
    A drug called MDMA.

    Similarecstasy

    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of empathy apart? Answer 4 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It comes from a Greek word built from "in" and "feeling". It was made around 1909 to translate the German word Einfühlung.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts