empathy
EM-puh-thee
/ˈɛmpəθi/
The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
In customer service, empathy is not just feeling sorry for someone (sympathy), but actively demonstrating that you understand their specific frustration.
The story behind the word. A relatively young word, coined in 1908 as a translation of the German 'Einfühlung' (feeling into). It suggests that you are projecting your own personality into the object of your contemplation.
Word relationships
- understanding: Understanding can be purely intellectual; empathy is emotional.
- compassion: Compassion includes a desire to help; empathy is the feeling of understanding itself.
- apathy: Apathy is a total lack of interest or feeling; empathy is the presence of shared feeling.
- indifference: Indifference is not caring; empathy is caring deeply enough to understand.
Commonly confused with
- sympathy: Sympathy is feeling sorry for someone; empathy is feeling with them.
Word family
- empathize (verb): To understand and share the feelings of another.
- empathic (adjective): Showing an ability to understand and share the feelings of others.
Collocations
- show empathy
- lack of empathy
- empathy for the customer
- deep empathy
Example sentences
- "When a customer is angry, start with empathy: acknowledge their frustration before trying to fix the problem." Training for customer support agents.
- "Empathy is about standing in someone else's shoes, feeling with his or her heart, seeing with his or her eyes." A quote from a famous business author on the power of understanding others.
Memory hook
Think of 'Em' as 'In' and 'Pathy' as 'Path' or 'Feeling'. You are getting 'In' the 'Path' of their feelings. Feel 'in' their shoes.
When not to use
Do not use 'empathy' if you are only being polite; empathy requires a deeper emotional connection.
Fun facts
- The word 'empathy' was actually first used in the context of aesthetics—how we feel when we look at a piece of art.
Explore more words
empathetic, sympathetic, sympathize, vicarious, compassionate, heartfelt
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