Definition

Adjective 1. Showing empathy or ready comprehension of others' states: Relating to, characterized by, or demonstrating the ability to understand and share the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of another person.

Usage and Examples

• As an adjective describing a person: An empathic individual can intuitively sense what others are feeling.
  • She is a deeply empathic listener, which makes people feel truly heard.
  • The empathic teacher noticed the student's frustration and offered help.
• As an adjective describing a quality, response, or action: The word describes behaviors or reactions that arise from understanding another's perspective.
  • He responded with an empathic nod, acknowledging the difficulty of the situation.
  • Her empathic approach to leadership fosters a supportive team environment.

Advanced Usage

• In psychology and counseling: The term is central to therapeutic practices, describing the counselor's ability to accurately perceive the client's subjective world.
  • Carl Rogers considered empathic understanding a core condition for therapeutic growth.
• Distinction from "sympathetic": While often used similarly, "empathic" typically emphasizes the cognitive and emotional of another's state ("I feel you"), whereas "sympathetic" can lean more towards feelings of pity or sorrow for another's misfortune ("I feel you").

Variants and Related Words

• Empathy (n): The capacity or action of understanding and sharing the feelings of another.
  • The novel is praised for its profound empathy for its characters.
• Empathize (v): To understand and share the feelings of another.
  • It's hard to empathize with a situation you've never experienced.
• Empathically (adv): In an empathic manner.
  • She listened empathically, without judgment.

Synonyms

• Compassionate
• Understanding
• Sensitive
• Perceptive

Antonyms

• Unfeeling
• Indifferent
• Insensitive
• Callous

Adjective

1. showing empathy or ready comprehension of others' states
   • a sensitive and empathetic school counselor