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empathize
[ em-puh-thahyz ]
verb (used without object)
- to experience empathy (often followed by with ):
His ability to empathize with people made him an excellent marriage counselor.
empathize
/ ˈɛmpəˌθaɪz /
verb
- intr to engage in or feel empathy
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Word History and Origins
Origin of empathize1
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Example Sentences
This has been a profound change for me in terms of empathizing with others.
Ben Knox, vp of e-commerce at Super Coffee said, “If you’re spending money on advertising to a product page that falls flat on empathizing with the consumer, than your advertising is going to fall flat.”
Rather, use it to empathize with your followers, listen to their stories and tell them yours, and respond to their comments and mentions.
On a societal level, it may explain why we find it easier to empathize with those who’ve shared similar experiences to us, compared with people from different backgrounds.
You might become unable to empathize with someone, or, at the other extreme, you might be so susceptible to other people’s thoughts that your own sense of “self” is volatile and fragile.
But Babylon asks us to do a little more: It wants us to empathize.
Jay is hard to empathize with and his silence suggests that, yeah, something is up.
Also you do have a lot of young girls seeing this film, and they should have somebody in there who they can empathize with.
As I uncovered these stories, I found a way to empathize with members of the Greek system.
Both came off as negative, terrible people as they bickered, and it was still impossible not to empathize with both of them.
They empathize—that is, see through our eyes, feel with our fingertips—so that they perceive what we do.
But Brion could empathize their feelings, the warmth of their intense relief and happiness.
Yet Brion could empathize their feelings, the warmth of their intense relief and happiness.
They weren't able to—to empathize the Martians, or whatever you call it.
How ironic that the only people who can empathize with them are the Macedonians who share the same fear of being quartered.
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Related Words
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More About Empathize
What does empathize mean?
To empathize with someone is to imagine or try to deeply understand what they are feeling or what it’s like to be in their situation.
The ability or the practice of doing this is called empathy, which is often described as the ability to feel what others are feeling as if you are feeling it yourself. So, to empathize is to feel empathy for someone. People who do this are described as empathetic.
Some people use the word empathize interchangeably or in overlapping ways with the word sympathize, which generally means to share someone else’s emotions, especially sadness. However, others distinguish the two terms by emphasizing the importance of empathizing with others (feeling their pain) as opposed to sympathizing with them (feeling sorry for them).
Example: Having faced many of the same challenges, Nyala is able to empathize with other immigrants and what they go through.
Where does empathize come from?
The first records of the word empathize come from the 1900s. The word empathy, first recorded in the late 1800s, comes from a translation of the German term Einfühlung, which literally means “a feeling in.” It ultimately derives from the Greek empátheia, meaning “affection” or “passion,” from em-, meaning “in,” and path-, the base of a verb meaning “to suffer.” In contrast, the sym- in sympathize means “with” or “together.” The -ize in both words is used to make them verbs.
While sympathizing with someone often means pitying them or feeling bad for them, empathizing is feeling or attempting to feel and understand exactly how a person feels and what it’s like to be them. When you empathize with someone, you identify with them—as if you were them. In other words, empathizing is feeling and understanding what it’s like to be “in someone else’s shoes.” Empathizing usually involves showing kindness and having compassion—the desire to do something to help a person and reduce their pain. People described as empathetic or empathic due to being very sensitive to the emotions of others are sometimes called empathists or empaths.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to empathize?
- empathise (British English spelling)
- empathy (noun)
What are some words that share a root or word element with empathize?
What are some words that often get used in discussing empathize?
What are some words empathize may be commonly confused with?
How is empathize used in real life?
Empathize is often used in discussions about how people should try to have more empathy.
Leadership tip:
Research shows that power can reduce our capacity to empathize.
The best leaders realize that danger and work to:
-See the world through the eyes of others.
-Understand their perspective.
-Act on their behalf.
They lead with empathy.— Jill Geisler (@JillGeisler) July 14, 2020
Regulating emotions, managing stress, empathizing with others, and maintaining relationships will be key to helping students learn this fall, according to CASEL in its new guide for reopening schools. https://t.co/ssCMPGz2dp
— Education Week Teacher (@EdWeekTeacher) July 15, 2020
Try using empathize!
Which of the following actions is an example of empathizing?
A. Feeling sorry for someone
B. Ignoring someone
C. Imagining how someone feels
D. Complimenting someone
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