empathic

Empathic is an adjective describing the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. The term derives from empathia, from Greek em- “in” and pathos “feeling,” and is used to describe both cognitive understanding and affective resonance in social interaction. In everyday English, empathic and empathetic are near-synonyms, though spelling preferences vary by region; empathic is common in psychology and formal contexts, while empathetic is widely used in general writing.

Empathy comprises cognitive and affective components: cognitive empathy is understanding another person’s perspective; affective (or emotional) empathy is feeling what another person feels. An empathic response involves both understanding and appropriately resonating with the other’s emotional state, without conflating it with agreement or endorsement. Empathy differs from sympathy, which involves concern for another’s suffering without necessarily sharing their feelings.

In professional settings, empathic communication is valued in healthcare, education, counseling, and conflict resolution, as it can build trust, facilitate information exchange, and reduce misunderstanding. Researchers discuss “empathic accuracy” as the ability to correctly infer others’ thoughts and feelings, and “empathic concern” or “compassion” as motivations to help.

Empathic engagement can be demanding or biased, and excessive empathy may lead to emotional exhaustion or boundary issues. Cultural and individual differences influence how people express and interpret empathic responses.