sympathy

This word describes an emotional resonance where one person mirrors the suffering of another. It is often a detached form of compassion, where you feel for someone from a position of safety or observation, rather than feeling the pain with them as one does in empathy. In professional or formal settings, it is frequently used as a polite social convention, such as sending a sympathy card. While generally positive, it can occasionally carry a hint of condescension if the recipient feels the giver is looking down on them from a place of superiority.