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Sympathy is feeling sorry for people. Empathy is truly understanding what a person is feeling because you've had a similar experience. For example, I am sympathetic to people who have cancer. I feel bad for them because it must be a horrible experience. But I don't really know what they are thinking or feeling. I've never had cancer or any other disease for that matter. I am empathetic to people who are going through a divorce because that's happened to me. It was awful and life-changing and I'll never be the same since it happened. I know what people going through a divorce are experiencing because I've been there.