Empathize
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3
Shared Emotion
Empathize involves a deep emotional understanding, not just a surface reaction. She empathized with his loss, recalling the pain of her own.
Pro Tip 2/3
Active Effort
To empathize requires actively imagining how someone else feels. He tried to empathize with her situation by recalling his similar experiences.
Pro Tip 3/3
Not Sympathy
Unlike sympathy, empathize doesn't imply feeling sorry for someone, but feeling with them. I don't just sympathize with you; I truly empathize.