Close in meaning

Empathy vs. Sympathy

Empathy is the ability to understand and share another person's feelings, as if you were in their place. Sympathy is feeling sorry for someone's trouble. Empathy says 'I feel this with you'; sympathy says 'I'm sorry this happened.'

Word	Part of speech	Meaning
empathy	noun	the ability to understand and share another person's feelings from their point of view
sympathy	noun	feelings of pity or sorrow for someone who is having a hard time
sympathy	noun	agreement with or support for an idea, a plan or a group

Empathy

noun: the ability to understand and share another person's feelings from their point of view

Good nurses show empathy for patients who are scared.
Having changed schools herself, Iris felt real empathy for the new student.

Sympathy

noun: feelings of pity or sorrow for someone who is having a hard time

We sent a card to express our sympathy after the flood damaged their home.
The whole team felt sympathy for the player who missed the final kick.

noun: agreement with or support for an idea, a plan or a group

I have some sympathy for the idea of a four-day week.
Many neighbors were in sympathy with the plan to close the street on Sundays.

How to remember the difference

Empathy puts you inside their feelings: em- means in. Sympathy keeps you beside them, feeling sorry from where you stand.

Good to know

Compassion goes a step further than sympathy: it adds a wish to help. The adjectives are empathetic (or empathic) and sympathetic.

Spot the mistake

We send our ~~empathy~~ sympathy to your family during this hard time.
Correct: We send our sympathy to your family during this hard time.

Check yourself

Pick the word that fits each sentence.

1. Having raised twins herself, the nurse had deep for the tired new parents and knew exactly how they felt.

2. The office sent flowers and a card when Raj's grandmother passed away.