empathetic

adjective

em·​pa·​thet·​ic ˌem-pə-ˈthe-tik How to pronounce empathetic (audio)
Synonyms of empathetic
: involving, characterized by, or based on empathy
empathetically
ˌem-pə-ˈthe-ti-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce empathetic (audio)
adverb

Synonyms of empathetic

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Examples of empathetic in a Sentence

an empathetic social worker who soon realized that the single mother was at her breaking point
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Giamanco's family described him as thoughtful and empathetic. — ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026 Because the right is viewed as divisive by liberal corporations, and the left is viewed as empathetic common sense. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026 Identify the repeatable tasks where AI can free up human capacity for higher-judgment, more empathetic work. — Jackie Njoroge, Forbes.com, 15 Oct. 2026 Despite these uncertainties, many women continue to relax their hair, but Belmo emphasizes an empathetic, practical harm-reduction approach. — Ata-Owaji Victor, Vogue, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for empathetic

Word History

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of empathetic was in 1912

Rhymes for empathetic

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Browse Nearby Words

empath
empathetic
empathic
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Cite this Entry

“Empathetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empathetic. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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