What is the difference between empathize and sympathize?

Empathize means to understand and feel with someone. Sympathize means to feel sorry for someone, but with less emotional sharing.

Is empathize formal or informal?

It is neutral and common in spoken and written English. It is often used in academic, workplace, and personal contexts.

How do I use empathize in a sentence?

Use it with with: "I empathize with your situation." You can also say "empathize deeply" or "empathize with people."

← Dictionary

empathize

/ˈem.pə.θaɪz/

IELTSAcademic

verb

To understand and share another person's feelings. It means you can imagine how they feel and respond with care.

I empathize with her frustration.
Try to empathize before you judge.
He empathized with the grieving family.

Adinary Nuance

Empathize is stronger and more personal than sympathize. When you empathize, you feel close to someone’s experience and understand it from inside. You can sympathize from a distance, but empathize suggests deeper emotional understanding.

In other languages

Vietnamese: đồng cảm
Spanish: empatizar
Chinese: 感同身受
Japanese: 共感する
Korean: 공감하다

Etymology

Emphasize comes from Greek roots meaning 'feeling inside' and entered English in the early 20th century. It was formed from the noun empathy.

Common phrases

empathize with someoneempathize deeplylearn to empathize

Synonyms

relate understand sympathize

Related words

empathy compassion sympathy

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between empathize and sympathize?: Empathize means to understand and feel with someone. Sympathize means to feel sorry for someone, but with less emotional sharing.
Is empathize formal or informal?: It is neutral and common in spoken and written English. It is often used in academic, workplace, and personal contexts.
How do I use empathize in a sentence?: Use it with with: "I empathize with your situation." You can also say "empathize deeply" or "empathize with people."