empathy

noun

Definition of empathynext
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of empathy Their writing, though both full of empathy and mounting tension, couldn’t be more distinct. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026 There is just the slow hiss and sigh of the machines, tucked safely out of sight, as social media filled with resistance to mask mandates, to empathy and authority, to the power of the state, and the chorus of anti-vaxxers grew. — Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026 From men wearing pink to push back against the pressures of toxic masculinity to women pushing back against unrealistic body standards, pink has become a color of defiant empathy. — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026 Not the kind of empathy that simply allows someone to understand another person’s struggles, but the kind that compels them to do something about it. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for empathy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for empathy
  1. sympathy
  2. pity
  3. compassion
  4. kindness
  5. understanding
Noun
  • Fifty years of doctors who shrugged with genuine sympathy and said, rare.
    — Miranda Pappas, STAT, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Carriage drivers have expressed sympathy for Mahajan and his family but argue that they are being unfairly targeted because of a single accident.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of sympathy
Noun
  • The pity of the judge who imprisoned them here was cold comfort for a group of people who had little reason to trust any legal authority.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Still, the track eventually collides into a seasick wall of distortion that recalls lovesliescrushing’s weightless takes on shoegaze as Pitchkites sings of unmet expectations and self pity.
    — Colin Joyce, Pitchfork, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of pity
Noun
  • But the decisions that define organizations—those involving ethics, trust, compassion, purpose and culture—remain deeply human responsibilities.
    — Elisa Mallis, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Many healthcare workers preserve human dignity through compassion, patience, and care.
    — Scott Levenson, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of compassion
Noun
  • Patience and kindness can go a long way, Henderson says, and Seshadri reminds everyone to extend that respect to the airport staff and your fellow passengers.
    — Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Be patient when a grocery store cashier with disabilities rings up your items — kindness can go a long way.
    — John Gill, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of kindness
Noun
  • Kim Hong-Cheol, the South Korean military official, said leaving the dispute over the military demarcation line unresolved would increase the risk of accidental clashes because troops from both sides act on their own understanding of the line.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Communications leaders can help organisations anticipate the expectations those decisions will need to meet, bringing an understanding of customer concerns and public trust into the discussion before commitments are made.
    — Margot Edelman, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of understanding

Browse Nearby Words

empathizing (with)
empathy
emperor
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Cite this Entry

“Empathy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/empathy. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on empathy

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about empathy

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