Empathic vs Empathetic
What’s the difference between them?
Empathic
Meaning:
Having or exhibiting the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
Examples:
1. She was an empathic listener, always understanding of other people's feelings.
2. As a counselor, he was exceptionally empathic with his patients.
3. She was able to make a deep connection with her clients due to her empathic nature.
Empathetic
Meaning:
meaning is the same.
Examples:
1. She was so empathetic to the homeless man's plight that she gave him her last bit of money.
2. He had an empathetic nature, enabling him to understand the true feelings of those around him.
3. My therapist was very empathetic, helping me to process my feelings in a productive way.
Learn similar and opposite words to spot the difference
Synonyms
Antonyms
Empathic
1. Compassionate
2. Sympathetic
3. Understanding
4. Kind-hearted
5. Tolerant
1. Callous
2. Insensitive
3. Unsympathetic
4. Uncaring
5. Indifferent
Empathetic
1. Compassionate
2. Sympathetic
3. Understanding
4. Kind-hearted
5. Tolerant
1. Unsympathetic
2. Apathetic
3. Callous
4. Unresponsive
5. Unconcerned
Tricks for mastery
Useful tips to understand the difference between confusing words "Empathic", "Empathetic".
1. Both words have the same meaning.
2. 'Empathic' and 'empathetic' are interchangeable.
Practice English with the Promova app and avoid misusing confusing words
Frequently asked questions
In what situations should the word 'Empathic' be used?
Empathic is used to describe an understanding of or insight into the feelings of another person. It is often used in the context of sympathizing with someone else's feelings, and is often used when talking about emotional intelligence. In other words, it is used to describe a person's ability to recognize and relate to the feelings of another.
When is the appropriate context for using the word 'Empathetic'?
Empathetic describes the ability to share in another person's feelings, or the ability to sympathize with their emotions. It is most often used to describe a person's capacity for empathy and compassion, particularly when it comes to understanding the emotional state of another person.
Do the two words share the same pronunciation?
No, empathetic is pronounced /em-puh-thet-ik/, while empathic is pronounced as /emˈpæθ.ɪk/.
What are some common mistakes people make when using these words?
One of the most common mistakes is confusing the two words. While both words indicate an understanding of another person’s emotions, empathizing is more about understanding, whereas empathizing is more about genuine feeling and understanding. Another mistake is thinking that empathizing means pitying, when in fact it is about understanding another person’s feelings.
Fill in the gaps to check yourself
1. She was very __ with her clients, often understanding their feelings before they could even explain them.
2. The counselor was known for her __ approach to problem solving.
3. He always looked out for the underdog, as he had an __ attitude towards those in need.
4. She felt a deep __ connection with her friends, always knowing when something was wrong.
5. His peers valued him for his __ nature and the support he offered.
6. The group was filled with __ people, always eager to lend a helping hand.
1. She was very empathetic with her clients, often understanding their feelings before they could even explain them.
Explanation: The word empathetic refers to the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person.
2. The counselor was known for her empathetic approach to problem solving.
Explanation: Empathetic means having the ability to understand the feelings of someone else and applying that knowledge in order to solve their problems.
3. He always looked out for the underdog, as he had an empathetic attitude towards those in need.
Explanation: Empathetic means having the ability to understand the feelings of someone else, and with an empathetic attitude, he was able to understand and care for those less fortunate.
4. She felt a deep empathic connection with her friends, always knowing when something was wrong.
Explanation: Empathic means having the ability to sense the emotions and feelings of another person. She had a deep connection with her friends that allowed her to know when something was wrong just by sensing their emotions.
5. His peers valued him for his empathetic nature and the support he offered.
Explanation: Empathetic means having the ability to understand the feelings of someone else. His peers valued him for his understanding and ability to provide support to them when they needed it most.
6. The group was filled with empathetic people, always eager to lend a helping hand.
Explanation: Empathetic means having the ability to understand the feelings of someone else. This group of people was filled with those who understood how the other was feeling, and were always willing to help out in any way they could.
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List of Commonly Confused Words
Finding your way around the English language can be hard, especially since there are so many confusing words and rules. So, a list of the most confusing words in English is an extremely useful tool for improving language accuracy and sharing the ideas clearly.