Apathy, Empathy and Sympathy

Apathy, Empathy and Sympathy – What’s the Difference?

Hello English learners! Welcome to a new lesson. Today, we are looking at three easily confused words: apathy, empathy, and sympathy. They sound similar, but they describe very different emotional states. Understanding their meanings — and how to use them correctly — will help you express feelings much more precisely.

Let’s break them down with clear explanations and plenty of examples.

Apathy

Apathy means a lack of interest, enthusiasm, or motivation. Someone who feels apathy doesn’t care much about what’s going on around them.

Adjective: apathetic

• There has been widespread apathy among the students ever since the head teacher died.
• The sense of apathy often arises when people feel they have no control over their situation.
• His illness made him apathetic and unable to do his job.
• Many young people seem apathetic about politics these days.

Empathy

Empathy means the ability to understand and share another person’s feelings. You “put yourself in their shoes” and imagine what they are going through.

Adjective: empathetic

• Doctors are expected to show empathy towards their patients.
• You can develop empathy by listening to people without interrupting.
• Jane was an attentive and empathetic child.
• John is incredibly empathetic — he always understands exactly how I feel.

Be careful: empathetic is not the same as emphatic (spoken strongly or with emphasis).

• The teacher was emphatic about the importance of doing homework.

Sympathy

Sympathy means feeling sorry for someone who is experiencing difficulty or sadness. You share their feelings and want to comfort them.

Adjective: sympathetic

• Michael felt a great deal of sympathy for the victims of the floods.
• She received very little sympathy from her colleagues when she broke her leg.
• People are often sympathetic towards ill children and their families.
• My neighbours were very sympathetic when my parents died.

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