Empathic

adj.kind, thoughtfulprofessional

What it means

Showing an ability to understand and respond to another person's feelings.

Reach for it when praising communication that recognizes another person's emotional perspective

The clinician's empathic questions helped the patient speak without shame.

everyday
empathetic
when the more common spelling best suits general readers
not when Empathetic is essentially equivalent and does not sharpen the meaning.
everyday
sensitive
when awareness of another person's needs is visible
not when Sensitive can also mean easily hurt and is less precise.
warm
compassionate
when concern includes a wish to relieve suffering
not when Compassion goes beyond understanding and may overstate the person's response.
warm
understanding
when patient acceptance matters more than technical wording
not when Understanding can concern facts and may not include emotional attunement.
professional
attuned
when close responsiveness to subtle emotional cues is central
not when Attuned can imply accuracy that has not been checked with the other person.
professional
emotionally intelligent
when broader skill in recognizing and managing emotion matters
not when Emotional intelligence includes self-management and is wider than empathic response.
formal
sympathetic
when shared concern or favorable understanding is intended
not when Sympathy can involve pity without entering the other person's perspective.

empathic response
An empathic response acknowledged the fear before offering advice.
empathic listening
Empathic listening gave the bereaved parent time to finish.
empathic understanding
The mediator showed empathic understanding without claiming to know everything.

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.