as in compassion
the feeling that you understand and share another person's experiences and emotions
He felt great empathy toward the poor.
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Recent Examples of empathy
As Mpoyi mourned, the team had to encourage him to step outside of the house to clear his mind, said Caden, who extended empathy beyond the hospitality inside of it.
—
Diamond Leung, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
Their knowledge fosters empathy for others, transcending geography, religion, race, gender, and even local norms.
—Lalee Ibssa, ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
The atrophy of empathy has become such a fixture of the show’s emotional mechanism that watching this, my only reaction as an unconscious man was wheeled out of Harper’s office by paramedics was to laugh.
—Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 2 Mar. 2026
The message of the film seems to be about forgiveness, and about finding empathy even for your oppressor.
—Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for empathy
Diamond Leung, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
Their knowledge fosters empathy for others, transcending geography, religion, race, gender, and even local norms.
—Lalee Ibssa, ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
The atrophy of empathy has become such a fixture of the show’s emotional mechanism that watching this, my only reaction as an unconscious man was wheeled out of Harper’s office by paramedics was to laugh.
—Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 2 Mar. 2026
The message of the film seems to be about forgiveness, and about finding empathy even for your oppressor.
—Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for empathy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for empathy
Noun
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Not only are federal resources shrinking but, as Jackson pointed out, compassion for those who are unhoused is also in short supply.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
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And taxpayers deserve confidence that compassion is paired with competence.—
Timothy M. Herbst,
Hartford Courant,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
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What sympathy there may have been for a cornered, bruised Iranian regime among its neighbors has faded in the face of Tehran’s escalation.—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
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In the early 1950s, McCarthy destroyed reputations and careers, mostly through congressional hearings and public accusations, fostering a climate in which individuals were fired over even the faintest suspicions of Communist sympathies.—
Ali Breland,
The Atlantic,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Most Buddhist sects acknowledge the spiritual significance of relics, even if some teachers have tried to shift the focus to Buddha’s teachings that emphasize mindfulness and kindness.—
Deepa Bharath,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Mar. 2026
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Most Buddhist sects acknowledge the spiritual significance of relics even if some teachers have tried to shift the focus to Buddha's teachings that emphasize mindfulness and kindness.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Tretter has a strong understanding of the inner workings of the union.—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
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Much further into Paton’s career, that same understanding has built with Payton, as the Broncos’ general manager has grown well aware of the player profile (smart, tough) that Payton favors.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Despite how abject all this sounds, the protagonist does not seem weak or worthy of pity.—
Hanif Abdurraqib,
New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2026
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Mikey Madison does a stellar job of switching back and forth between homicidal malevolence and victimhood, going straight for pity whenever Amber is cornered.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Empathy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/empathy. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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