empathetic

adjective

em·​pa·​thet·​ic ˌem-pə-ˈthe-tik 

: involving, characterized by, or based on empathy

empathetically

ˌem-pə-ˈthe-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms of empathetic

• compassionate
• sympathetic

Examples of empathetic in a Sentence

an empathetic social worker who soon realized that the single mother was at her breaking point

Recent Examples on the Web

In its portrayal of cross-gender relations, the series is consistently cruel to women, insulting to men, empathetic toward nobody and cynical about everything. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2026

Stavros adds that combining employee type ownership with empathetic leadership is more powerful than either one in isolation. — Peter Georgescu, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Biden, in the weeks after his empathetic speech in Tel Aviv, was more popular in Israel than its Prime Minister. — David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 20 July 2026

YouTube comedian Bo Burnham directs this empathetic portrait of Kayla (Elsie Fisher), an insecure adolescent who posts motivational vlogs on YouTube while privately struggling with her self-image and burgeoning sexuality. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for empathetic

• alphabetic
• anaesthetic
• anesthetic
• antithetic
• apathetic
• arithmetic
• cybernetic
• diabetic
• dietetic
• diuretic
• energetic
• geodetic