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

• 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

As the more intellectual and empathetic Vladimir, Winter achingly conveys his hopeful optimism and crippling realization that Godot, in fact, may never arrive. —Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 29 Sep. 2025

Told through empathetic interviews with his bandmates and family, Struebing’s ordeal becomes a tale of partial redemption and a lament about the failure of our justice system to meet the mental-health needs of people caught up in it. —Judy Berman, Time, 29 Sep. 2025

There’s no message in it except a kind of empathetic observation. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025

Both of my children have always been very empathetic and careful around animals and have never caused any problems until recently. —R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 28 Sep. 2025

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