What is the ability to empathize, or share the feelings of others, commonly referred to?

The ability to empathize, or share the feelings of others, is indeed commonly referred to as empathy. This term encapsulates the capacity to not only recognize the emotions of others but also to feel and understand those feelings from their perspective. Empathy involves a deep emotional connection and allows individuals to respond with sensitivity to the experiences of others, creating a bond based on shared emotional experiences.

In contrast, compassion implies a sense of concern for someone else's suffering and a desire to help, while sympathy involves acknowledging someone else's emotional struggles, typically without necessarily feeling those emotions oneself. Understanding encompasses a broader cognitive comprehension of another’s situation but does not inherently include the emotional connection that empathy does. Therefore, empathy is the most precise term that captures the essence of sharing the feelings of others.