Difference Between Sensitive & Sensible

Sensitive vs Sensible

Sensitive and sensible are two adjectives in the English language that often get confused with one another, despite having different meanings. Sensitive can be defined as being quick to detect or be affected by slight changes, while sensible can be defined as having or showing common sense. This article will explore the differences between these two words through examples.

What does Sensitive mean?

The adjective sensitive can be used in various situations. If a person is easily affected, offended, or upset by others, they are considered sensitive. For example:

“You should not be harsh with Anna as she is very sensitive.”

The sentence implies that Anna is easily affected by the actions of others. However, it doesn’t have to be actions only; if a person is affected by what others say, how others treat them, and feels upset, such an individual is sensitive.

Sensitive can also be used to denote that something is easily affected by slight changes, as in:

“She has a very sensitive skin that gets bruised easily.”

In this example, sensitive is an adjective that describes the skin, which is easily affected.

Sensitive can also be used when referring to secret or controversial topics, as in:

“Data collection of the research was extremely difficult since it was a very sensitive subject.”

If certain information is controversial or very personal, this word can be used. In this example, the word suggests that the research theme explored sensitive data, making the data gathering stage difficult.

It’s important not to confuse the word sensitive with sensible.

What does Sensible mean?

Sensible can be defined as having or showing common sense. If a person acts very practically and approaches problems in a very rational manner, they are considered sensible. A sensible person is fully aware of the situation. Let’s look at some examples:

“I have noticed that she is a very sensible girl in the way she handled the situation the other day.”

“You have to be more sensible and not give into irrational fantasies.”

“Can you please be a bit more sensible! If you do not accept this offer, you are sure to lose everything.”

In each example, the word sensible suggests that the individual uses or has to use common sense. Unlike being sensitive, a sensible person is not easily affected by others.

Key Takeaways

• Sensitive is defined as quick to detect or be affected by slight changes, while sensible is defined as having or showing common sense.
• Both sensitive and sensible are used as adjectives, but they describe different traits and should not be confused with one another.
• A sensitive person is easily offended by their surroundings and affected by the behavior, thoughts, and attitudes of those around them, while a sensible person is not easily affected by their surroundings and acts with common sense.