Lower reputation extremely likely with empathy (15)
I believe the answer is:
understandingly
'with empathy' is the definition.
(with understanding)
'lower reputation extremely likely' is the wordplay.
'lower' becomes 'under' (under means lower down).
'reputation' becomes 'standing' (one's standing is one's reputation or status).
'extremely' suggests removing the centre (only the extremes of the word are used).
'likely' with its centre removed is 'ly'.
'under'+'standing'+'ly'='UNDERSTANDINGLY'
I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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