empathetic

Language: en

🇺🇸 /ˌɛmpəˈθɛtɪk/

📖 Definitions

  1. adjective
    Showing or characterized by the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person; demonstrating empathy.

🔗 Details

Word forms

Comparative: more empathetic Superlative: most empathetic

Collocations

empathetic responseempathetic listenerempathetic approachempathetic understandingempathetic communicationempathetic concern

Derivatives

empathyempathizeempatheticallyempathicempath

Synonyms

compassionatesympatheticunderstandingsensitiveempathiccaring

Antonyms

indifferentcallousunsympatheticcoldapathetic

Commonly confused

empathic
EN: 'Empathic' is a valid synonym preferred in some academic and psychological contexts, while 'empathetic' is more common in everyday usage.
sympathetic
EN: 'Sympathetic' means feeling pity or sorrow for someone's situation, while 'empathetic' means understanding and sharing another's feelings from their perspective.
apathetic
EN: 'Apathetic' means showing no interest or concern, which is nearly the opposite of 'empathetic'.

Spelling tips

EN: Remember the '-thetic' ending (not '-thetic' vs '-thetic' confusion with 'empathic'). The word contains 'th' after 'empa-' and ends in '-etic', not '-atic'.

💬 Examples

  1. The counselor was empathetic, listening carefully to the patient's struggles without judgment.