What is the difference between condolences and sympathies

Gerould, Ringside Seats , Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! Log in Sign Up. Words at Play What's the difference between 'sympathy' and 'empathy'? Though the words appear in similar contexts, they have different meanings. What to Know Sympathy , constructed from the Greek sym , meaning "together," and pathos , referring to feelings or emotion, is used when one person shares the feelings of another, as when one experiences sadness when someone close is experiencing grief or loss.

More Words At Play. Merriam-Webster's Words of the Week - Oct. Homophones, Homographs, and Homonyms. Time Traveler. Love words? Need even more definitions? Ask the Editors 'Everyday' vs. What Is 'Semantic Bleaching'? How 'literally' can mean "figuratively". Literally How to use a word that literally drives some pe Log in Profile. Saved Articles. Contact Support. Log Out. Your cart is empty. Our online classes and training programs allow you to learn from experts from anywhere in the world.

Explore Classes. Nafeesah Allen, Ph. She has a Ph. August 20, Defining sympathy. Defining empathy. Understanding the key differences. What about compassion? The bottom line. More On This Topic Sex. Kelly Gonsalves. With Megan Bruneau, M. Personal Growth. Sarah Regan. Sympathy involves understanding from your own perspective.

In becoming aware of the root cause of why a person feels the way they do, we can better understand and provide healthier options. It creates a sense of pity over the plight of the person.

This helps a person to feel heard, understood and validated. Sympathy focuses on the surface meaning of statements, while empathy is sensitive to non-verbal cues. Lastly, sympathy tends to suppress your own and others emotions.

Emotions get pushed aside and avoided until it culminates in an intense fit of pain. Empathy acknowledged your own and others emotions.

As a result, this coworker is now better able to focus afterward. What helped me was to take melatonin every night. It works like magic. Instead of focusing on the other person, you redirected the conversation to be about you. Compassion and empathy are often used interchangeably. But you become a spectator of these feelings so that you can manage an appropriate response. Because of this, you can provide them with the help they need.

It requires altruism to be able to do this. Apathy is a lack of care or motivation. Schedule a demo today to see how BetterUp can help you develop emotional intelligence and reach your career potential. Unlock your best self with mental fitness routines with Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir. Follow us. July 9, - 16 min read. Share this article. Jump to section What is the main difference between empathy and sympathy? Empathy vs sympathy psychology Which is better: sympathy or empathy?

Similar concepts: compassion and apathy Empathy vs sympathy: know the difference.