empathize

American

[em-puh-thahyz] / ˈɛm pəˌθaɪz /

especially British, empathise

verb (used without object)

empathized, empathizing

to experience empathy (often followed bywith ).

His ability to empathize with people made him an excellent marriage counselor.

empathize British

/ ˈɛmpəˌθaɪz /

verb

(intr) to engage in or feel empathy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

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.

Etymology

Origin of empathize

First recorded in 1920–25; empath(y) + -ize

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Marozzi, who declined to share his voting record over privacy concerns, explained that he can empathize with a no pain, no gain mentality.

From Barron's • Mar. 21, 2026

The best accountants empathize and provide a compassionate sounding board to help clients with tough challenges.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 13, 2026

When I think about what my kids will need as they get older, it’s human qualities: the ability to relate, to empathize and be around other humans.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

If we could see one another’s pain and empathize with one another, it would never be worth it to us to commit the crimes in the first place.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah

Not only will the students be able to empathize with Gerda’s feelings of persecution and loss, but I hope they’ll be able to understand how Anne Frank must have felt.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023