To feel someone else's emotions along with them; to see or understand things from someone else's position or perspective. I used to resent my dad for the placid way he is with our domineering mother, but now that I've grown up a bit, I'm able to empathize with him and have a greater appreciation for what he must be going through. I can really empathize with Maggie because my mom died when I was a kid, too, and it was a devastating experience.