Vocabulary in context
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Sensitive
Easily affected by external stimuli or feelings; having or displaying keen perception or sensitivity; requiring careful handling or confidentiality.
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Imagine This
Imagine a student in a loud cafeteria who flinches at every clap and notices when a friend is upset, choosing words carefully to avoid causing offense.
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Sounds Like
SEN-si-tiv
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Looks Like
Looks like sense + ive; visually related to the word sense and to sensations
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Remember This
The root sense is tied to feeling. Sensitive often collocates with information (sensitive data) and with physical or emotional receptiveness.
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Other Forms
sensitivitynoun
sensitivelyadverb
sensitizeverb
sensitivenessnoun
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Connect With
perceptive, delicate, tactful, vulnerable, susceptible, receptive
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Note
Do not confuse with sensory (relating to the senses) or sensation (a physical feeling). Be careful with phrases: 'sensitive to' (affected by) vs 'sensitive about' (easily offended).
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Study Deeper
Examples
- She is highly sensitive to criticism and often takes feedback personally.
- The dataset contains sensitive information that must be encrypted.
Synonyms
delicatesusceptiblereceptiveperceptivetactful
Antonyms
insensitiveunfeelingcallous
Etymology
From Latin sensus 'feeling' (from sentire 'to feel') + the suffix -ive; related to sense, sensation, and sensory.
Mnemonic
Sense it: if you can sense something clearly, you are sensitive to it.
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Impugn
verbTo dispute the truth, validity, or honesty of a claim, statement, or someone's motives; to challenge or cast doubt on.
Succulent
adjectiveJuicy and tender; (of a plant) having thick, fleshy tissues that store water; can also describe something richly satisfying or interesting.
Tenacious
adjectiveNot easily pulled apart; holding fast or continuing with determination, whether physically or figuratively.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Vulnerable
adjectiveSusceptible to physical or emotional harm; easily affected by danger, attack, or distress.
Receptive
adjectiveWilling to consider or receive new ideas, signals, or feedback; open to information and influence.
Abstruse
adjectiveDifficult to understand; obscure or highly complex.
Accidental
adjectiveHappening by chance or without deliberate planning; not intended. In music, it is also a noun for a symbol that temporarily alters a pitch.
Acerbic
adjectiveSharp or biting in tone or taste; caustic or mordant in manner.
Acquiescent
adjectiveReady to agree or approve without protest; compliant.
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