empathy

Sympathy vs. Empathy

Sympathy and empathy both refer to a caring response to the emotional state of another personbut a distinction between them is typically made: while sympathy is a feeling of sincere concern for someone who is experiencing something difficult or painfulempathy involves actively sharing in the emotional experience of the other person.

Sympathy has been in use since the 16th centuryand its greater age is reflected in its wider breadth of meaningsincluding “a feeling of loyalty” and “unity or harmony in action or effect.” It comes ultimately from the Greek sympathēsmeaning “having common feelingssympathetic,” which was formed from syn- (“withtogether with”) and páthos“experiencemisfortuneemotioncondition.” Empathy was modeled on sympathy; it was coined in the early 20th century as a translation of the German Einfühlung (“feeling-in” or “feeling into”). First applied in contexts of philosophyaestheticsand psychologyempathy continues to have technical use in those fields that sympathy does not.

What is the difference between empathy and compassion?

Compassion and empathy both refer to a caring response to someone else’s distress. While empathy refers to an active sharing in the emotional experience of the other personcompassion adds to that emotional experience a desire to alleviate the person’s distress.

… the story of Nellie Blythe first female investigative reporterwho not only demanded justice from powerful institutionsbut also insisted on dignity and compassion for the most vulnerable citizens. — The Christian Science Monitor17 Aug. 2022

Blonde clearly wants us to feel for Norma Jeanebut it dwells on her pain so obsessively … that the movie's empathy feels like another form of exploitation. — Justin ChangNPR23 Sept. 2022

The distinction between compassion and empathy is frequently a topic of exploration.

By empathy I mean feeling the feelings of other people. So if you’re in pain and I feel your pain—I am feeling empathy toward you. If you’re being anxiousI pick up your anxiety. If you’re sad and I pick up your sadnessI’m being empathetic. And that’s different from compassion. Compassion means I give your concern weightI value it. I care about youbut I don’t necessarily pick up your feelings. … [I]f I feel compassion for youI’ll be invigorated. I’ll be happy and I’ll try to make your life better. — Paul Bloomquoted in Vox16 Jan. 2019

Compassion is a much older word; it’s been part of the language since the 14th centuryand comes ultimately from Latin com- and patimeaning “to bearsuffer.” Empathy is a 20th century coinage modeled on sympathy as a translation of the German Einfühlung (“feeling-in” or “feeling into”). It was first applied in contexts of philosophyaestheticsand psychology and continues to have technical use in those fields.