Which of the following is a formal definition of empathy? empathy (noun): the ability to sense and understand the emotions and experiences of others The meaning of empathy is summed up in that old saying, "Before you judge someone, walk a mile in their shoes." The best dog trainers have a very well-developed sense of empathy, meaning they instinctively understand a dog’s feelings. At the same time, that empathy can make it difficult for them to be around people. Human problems are harder to solve than a dog’s, and feeling someone else’s pain all the time is exhausting. Lola is totally self-centered! She has no empathy for anyone else, in fact I’m not sure she even understands that other people have feelings.