empathize

[ em-puh-thahyz ]

/ ˈɛm pəˌθaɪz /

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See synonyms for empathize on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), em·pa·thized, em·pa·thiz·ing.

to experience empathy (often followed by with): His ability to empathize with people made him an excellent marriage counselor.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Also especially British, em·pa·thise .

Origin of empathize

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

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH empathize

empathize , sympathize

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use empathize in a sentence

I can certainly empathize with Nathan and Emily’s frustrations.
“We Get All Our Great Stuff from Europe — Including Witch Hunting.” (Ep. 446)|Steven D. Levitt|January 7, 2021|Freakonomics
We become less able to understand our political opponents or empathize with their positions.
Democrats And Republicans Should Argue More — Not Less|Daniel Cox|December 22, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
It suggests that people engage and empathize with one another by developing an understanding of one another’s beliefs—a skill we develop as young children.
The key to smarter robot collaborators may be more simplicity|Karen Hao|November 13, 2020|MIT Technology Review
When she was governor, and had that issue with the Confederate flag on the state Capitol, she had a way of bringing people together, empathizing, making changes that needed to be changed.
The Trailer: Republicans build their own fan clubs in Iowa|David Weigel|October 29, 2020|Washington Post

Keep your cool, listen to whoever you’re talking to and, above all, empathize.
Five ways to help democracy even if you can’t vote|Sandra Gutierrez G.|October 21, 2020|Popular-Science
Actors do not want to be on screen not empathizing with somebody.
Patton Oswalt on 'Young Adult,' Charlize Theron, and His Twitter Friends|Richard Rushfield|December 9, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Jon watched him a while, empathizing with his occasional looks that told how out of place he felt.
Captives of the Flame|Samuel R. Delany

British Dictionary definitions for empathize

empathize

empathise

/ (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

empathize

Origin of empathize

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH empathize

Words related to empathize

How to use empathize in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for empathize

empathise