put oneself in someone's shoes

verb

To try to look at a situation from a different point of view; as if one were the other person; to empathise.

“If you could just put yourself in his shoes for a moment, perhaps you would understand why it is not as easy as you seem to think.”

Similar
put oneself in someone's place
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Meanings

verbput oneself in someone's shoes (third-person singular simple present puts oneself in someone's shoes, present participle putting oneself in someone's shoes, simple past and past participle put oneself in someone's shoes)

present singular third person puts oneself in someone's shoes · participle present putting oneself in someone's shoes

  1. figurativelyTo try to look at a situation from a different point of view; as if one were the other person; to empathise.

    If you could just put yourself in his shoes for a moment, perhaps you would understand why it is not as easy as you seem to think.

    Synonyms: put oneself in someone's place

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo try to look at a situation from a different point of view; as if one were the other person; to empathise.

Similar
put oneself in someone's place
Also see
put oneself in someone's placewalk in someone's shoes

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 設身處地 /设身处地, 換位思考 /换位思考
  • 設身處地 /设身处地 (shèshēnchǔdì)look at a situation as if one were the other person
  • 換位思考 /换位思考 (huànwèi sīkǎo)look at a situation as if one were the other person
  • 將心比心 /将心比心 (jiāngxīnbǐxīn)look at a situation as if one were the other person
Dutch zich in een ander verplaatsen, zich inleven
  • zich in een ander verplaatsenlook at a situation as if one were the other person
  • zich inlevenlook at a situation as if one were the other person
French se mettre à la place, se mettre dans la peau de quelqu'un
  • se mettre à la placelook at a situation as if one were the other person
  • se mettre dans la peau de quelqu'unlook at a situation as if one were the other person
Italian mettersi nei panni di un altro
  • mettersi nei panni di un altrolook at a situation as if one were the other person
Korean 역지사지
  • 역지사지 (yeokjisaji)look at a situation as if one were the other person
Polish postawić się na czyimś miejscu
  • postawić się na czyimś miejsculook at a situation as if one were the other person
Portuguese pôr-se no lugar (de alguém)
  • pôr-se no lugar (de alguém)look at a situation as if one were the other person
Russian поста́вить себя́ на чьё-то ме́сто
  • поста́вить себя́ на чьё-то ме́сто (postávitʹ sebjá na čʹjo-to mésto)look at a situation as if one were the other person
Swedish sätta sig in, leva sig in
  • sätta sig inlook at a situation as if one were the other person
  • leva sig inlook at a situation as if one were the other person
Cite this entry
APA

put oneself in someone's shoes. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20oneself%20in%20someone's%20shoes

MLA

“put oneself in someone's shoes.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20oneself%20in%20someone's%20shoes. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “put oneself in someone's shoes,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/put%20oneself%20in%20someone's%20shoes.

Source: put oneself in someone's shoes on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.