Although incorrectly, empathy and sympathy are two distinct words that people often end up confusing and using interchangeably. Both the words share a similar root i.e. they are derived from the Greek word “pathos”, which means “feeling” or “suffering”. Therefore, both the words deal with emotions that one has in reference to another person. However, they are in no way synonymous because of the prefixes attached to them, which differentiates the meaning of the two words from each other.
While the prefix sym in the word sympathy, comes from the Greek word sýn, which means “together”, the prefix em in the word empathy, comes from the Greek word eń, which means “within”. Thus, while sympathy means sharing the same opinions, interests, or feelings as the other, empathy goes beyond sympathy. It denotes not only the sharing of emotions but also an understanding of them as if they are one’s own. So, while sympathy signifies feelings of pity and compassion towards someone’s sorrow and suffering, empathy refers to one’s ability to experience a situation by putting oneself in someone else’s shoes. This way, empathy involves the component of projection, which requires one to be able to imagine how the other person might be feeling in a situation.
Empathy is considered a higher order feeling because of its complex nature. Thus, you might find it easier to sympathize with someone than empathize with them. It is because of this reason that not everyone is said to be empathetic by nature. The two words might be used in similar contexts such as a death in one’s family. However, the following examples will clarify how the two words convey different feelings even in a similar context.
“I am sorry for your loss.”
This statement communicates sympathy. Sometimes, sympathy ends up conveying that the person facing the situation, is the only one suffering from the problem while the rest seem to be coping just fine. This might make the person in front of you feel patronized. Thus, instead of offering support, it might end up making them feel alone in their struggle.
“I can understand how hard this must be for you. Having lost a loved one myself, I know how this can feel.”
This statement communicates empathy. It conveys that feeling what the person is feeling right now is normal and common. Hence, it is more reassuring than the above statement.
A person is more likely to feel connected to the person who empathizes with them, rather than the one who sympathizes with them.
