sensitive

adjective

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sen·si·tive | \ ˈsen(t)-sə-tiv

, ˈsen(t)s-təv \

Definition of sensitive

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : sensory sense 2

2a : receptive to sense impressions

b : capable of being stimulated or excited by external agents (such as light, gravity, or contact) sensitive cells

3 : highly responsive or susceptible: such as

a(1) : easily hurt or damaged especially : easily hurt emotionally

(2) : delicately aware of the attitudes and feelings of others

b : excessively or abnormally susceptible : hypersensitive sensitive to egg protein

c : readily fluctuating in price or demand sensitive commodities

d : capable of indicating minute differences : delicate sensitive scales

e : readily affected or changed by various agents (such as light or mechanical shock) a photographic emulsion sensitive to red light

f : highly radiosensitive

4a : concerned with highly classified government information or involving discretionary authority over important policy matters sensitive documents

b : calling for tact, care, or caution in treatment : touchy a sensitive issue like race relations

5 : having or showing concern for a specified matter —usually used in combinationa price-sensitive customerenvironmentally sensitive policies

sensitive

noun

Definition of sensitive (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : a person having occult or psychical abilities

2 : a sensitive person

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Choose the Right Synonym for sensitive

Adjective

liable, open, exposed, subject, prone, susceptible, sensitive mean being by nature or through circumstances likely to experience something adverse. liable implies a possibility or probability of incurring something because of position, nature, or particular situation. liable to get lost open stresses a lack of barriers preventing incurrence. a claim open to question exposed suggests lack of protection or powers of resistance against something actually present or threatening. exposed to infection subject implies an openness for any reason to something that must be suffered or undergone. all reports are subject to review prone stresses natural tendency or propensity to incur something. prone to delay susceptible implies conditions existing in one's nature or individual constitution that make incurrence probable. very susceptible to flattery sensitive implies a readiness to respond to or be influenced by forces or stimuli. unduly sensitive to criticism

Examples of sensitive in a Sentence

Adjective He acts like a tough guy, but he's really very sensitive to criticism. I found him to be a sensitive and caring person.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective The death touched off a court case after an ambulance driver and his attorney were accused of trying to extort $25 million from the actors in exchange for not releasing sensitive information about their son's death. — Jake Coyle, Anchorage Daily News, "Kelly Preston, actor and wife of John Travolta, dies at age 57," 13 July 2020 Those materials made their way to WikiLeaks, which had a history of publishing sensitive information about the U.S. government. — Matt Ford, The New Republic, "The Most Corrupt President in American History," 11 July 2020 Jones was afraid the couple might harm her to prevent her from revealing sensitive information about them, the lawyer said. — Tom Steele, Dallas News, "Before her body was dumped in a lake, Texas woman made porn with her killer and his wife, authorities say," 7 July 2020 All kinds of sensitive information, including account passwords, often reside on a device's clipboard after users copy it from one field to paste it somewhere else. — Kate Cox, Ars Technica, "Trump administration “looking into” ban on TikTok, other Chinese apps," 7 July 2020 But it's also become a new opportunity for scammers who are trying to collect sensitive financial information. — Ivana Kottasová, CNN, "What you need to know about coronavirus on Tuesday, July 7," 7 July 2020 The officials insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose the highly sensitive information. — James Laporta, Fortune, "The White House was made aware of Russian bounties in 2019, AP sources say," 30 June 2020 The investigation would include a great deal of sensitive information, so any space would have to be secured as a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, or SCIF. — Jeffrey Toobin, The New Yorker, "Why the Mueller Investigation Failed," 29 June 2020 The initiative asks voters to expand the California Consumer Privacy Act on several fronts, including giving people move control over sensitive personal information. — Dustin Gardiner, SFChronicle.com, "California voters will decide whether to strengthen consumer privacy law," 25 June 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The Quiet Zone is a place where mystic scientists, gun-loving locals, and electromagnetic hyper-sensitives all live amongst one another, and Drake Equation chronicles their lives in rich detail. — Laura Mallonee, WIRED, "Want to Hunt Aliens? Go to West Virginia's Low-Tech 'Quiet Zone'," 3 May 2018 Growing sensitives over language extend to politics as well. — Michael Holtz, The Christian Science Monitor, "Amid anniversary protests, fears that Hong Kong is 'just another mainland city'," 3 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sensitive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

27 Jul 2020

Cite this Entry

“Sensitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sensitive. Accessed 3 Aug. 2020.

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More Definitions for sensitive

sensitive

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of sensitive

: easily upset by the things that people think or say about you

: likely to cause people to become upset

: aware of and understanding the feelings of other people

See the full definition for sensitive in the English Language Learners Dictionary

sensitive

adjective

sen·si·tive | \ ˈsen-sə-tiv

Kids Definition of sensitive

1 : easily or strongly affected, impressed, or hurt a sensitive child

2 : likely to affect, impress, or hurt a sensitive topic

3 : understanding of the feelings of others

4 : capable of responding to stimulation sensitive structures of the ear

5 : readily affected or changed often in an unpleasant or negative way I have sensitive skin.

sensitive

adjective

sen·si·tive | \ ˈsen(t)-sət-iv, ˈsen(t)-stiv

Medical Definition of sensitive

1 : sensory sense 2 sensitive nerves

2a : receptive to sense impressions

b : capable of being stimulated or excited by external agents (as light, gravity, or contact) a photographic emulsion sensitive to red light sensitive protoplasm

3 : highly responsive or susceptible: as

a : easily hurt or damaged sensitive skin especially : easily hurt emotionally

b : excessively or abnormally susceptible : hypersensitive sensitive to egg protein

c : capable of indicating minute differences sensitive scales

d : readily affected or changed by various agents (as light or mechanical shock) a sensitive colloid

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