Confusable pair · B2
Empathy or sympathy?
Sympathy is feeling sorry for someone from the outside. Empathy is understanding what they feel because you can imagine being in their position. You send sympathy to a bereaved colleague; you show empathy when you understand why they cannot concentrate. Sympathy looks across; empathy stands alongside.
Which word, and why
- sympathy
feeling sorry for someone, from outside
Compassion for someone else’s misfortune.
express your sympathy · a letter of sympathy · have some sympathy for
- empathy
understanding a feeling as though it were yours
The ability to share and understand another person’s feelings.
show empathy · a lack of empathy · empathy with patients
Now use it
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The whole department sent their after the funeral.