Sensitive is a word with several distinctclearly different from one another meanings. It can describe something that hurts easily, reacts strongly to touch or light, or shows care for other people’s feelings and needs. It can also refer to confidentialmeant to stay private and not shared publicly information, or to a person who claimed to communicate with spiritsimmaterial beings believed to exist beyond the physical world.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈsɛnsətɪv/
Easy pronunciation: SEN-suh-tiv (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the first syllable.
Use this pronunciation for the adjective meaning easily affected by other people’s feelings or by situations around you.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Sensitive Meaning
easily affected by other people’s feelings or by situations around you
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: being susceptible to the attitudes, feelings, or circumstances of others
Example: She was sensitive to the team’s concerns and adjusted the plan.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Sensitive
Meaning 2
sore or painful when touched
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: hurting
Example: My tooth is still sensitive after the filling.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- raw — Works when an area feels painful and exposed.
- sore — A natural substitute for a painful, tender area.
- tender — Common for a place on the body that hurts when touched.
Meaning 3
able to notice or detect something
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: able to feel or perceive
Example: The instrument is sensitive enough to detect tiny changes.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- sensible — A possible older or technical substitute in this sense, but less common today.
Meaning 4
a person believed to speak with spirits
Part of speech: noun
Definition: someone who serves as an intermediary between the living and the dead
Example: The audience came to see a well-known sensitive.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- medium — A direct synonym in this spiritualist sense.
- spiritualist — Can refer to a person who claims contact with spirits.
Meaning 5
private, restricted, or secret
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: of or pertaining to classified information or matters affecting national security
Example: The report contains sensitive information about the investigation.
Meaning 6
quick to react to touch, light, heat, or other stimuli
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: responsive to physical stimuli
Example: This camera has a very sensitive sensor.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Sensitive Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- sore
- tender
- raw
able to notice or detect something
- sensible
a person believed to speak with spirits
- medium
- spiritualist
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse sensitive with sensible. In modern English, sensible usually means practical or reasonable, not easily felt or detected.
- Sensitive has several meanings, so the best synonym depends on the sense. For example, tender can mean sore, but it does not mean private or confidential.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common meaning of sensitive?
The most common everyday meaning is being easily affected by other people’s feelings, needs, or emotions.
What are the best synonyms for sensitive?
For the ‘easily hurt’ sense, common synonyms are sore, tender, and raw. For the ‘responsive to stimuli’ sense, sensitive often stands on its own, while sensible is only a limited older or technical match.
Can sensitive mean secret?
Yes. It can describe information that is private, restricted, or important for security.
Is sensitive the same as sensible?
No. They are different words. Sensitive means easily affected or quick to react, while sensible usually means reasonable or practical.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.