Sensible vs. Sensitive How to Choose the Right Word

The adjectives sensible and sensitive evolved from the Latin sÄ“nsus, which means the faculty of perceiving, according to the American Heritage Dictionary. It may be surprising, therefore, that in todays world, they have completely different meanings. Whereas sensible means practical or levelheaded, sensitive means reactive or extremely aware. An archaic meaning of sensible, however, is much closer to the contemporary meaning of sensitive. How to Use Sensitive The most common definitions  of the adjective sensitive are: easily hurt or offended, highly perceptive, quick to respond to slight changes or differences, and concerned with secret or delicate matters. A person can also be sensitive to heat, cold, certain foods, or even emotions, for example. While all of these definitions refer to the human quality of being sensitive, it is also possible for other animals, plants, processes, and events to be sensitive. For example, a sensitive test for cancer can discover cancer cells even if there are very few or they are difficult to detect. A sensitive situation can describe an interaction that has the potential to become explosive. In rarer situations, the word sensitive is also used as a noun. When thats the case, it means a person who is likely to sense the presence of spirit influences. Sometimes a sensitive is believed to have access to the spirits of the dead; they may also be sensitive to the presence of angels or other spiritual entities. How to Use Sensible The most common definitions  of the adjective sensible are: practical, reasonable, and having (or showing) good sense or sound judgment. Although the term sensible is usually positive when applied to an individual, it can also have negative connotations when the sensible choice is compared to the creative, exciting, or adventurous choice. For example, Bob made the sensible choice and became an accountant instead of joining the Peace Corps.   When applied to objects rather than people, sensible items are often considered to be practical but unfashionable or uninteresting. Sensible shoes, for example, are intended for comfort rather than good looks, and a sensible dress is usually inexpensive, easy to care for, and utterly unfashionable. An archaic meaning of sensible is aware of; this usage was still common during the first part of the 20th century. Often, the term was used to describe the awareness of something intangible; for example, Elizabeth was sensible of her many flaws. Examples The following examples use the word sensible in all its senses. In the first sentence, the word is used to mean reasonable and appropriate. In the second, it is used to mean showing good judgment. In the last sentence, sensible is used in the archaic sense to mean aware of. Sticking to a sensible diet plan ensures that the weight will stay off.Children on drugs often leave clues, and sensible parents will investigate when their suspicions are aroused.Sensible of his patients anxiety, Dr. Paul was careful to be reassuring. In the first three sentences below, sensitive is used as an adjective to describe highly reactive or volatile. In the last sentence, it is used as a noun to describe a person with strong occult abilities. An extremely sensitive person may have a severe reaction to a small amount of milk protein in a candy bar.Sensitive medical equipment requires an uninterrupted supply of power.A reporter at the Washington Post gained access to several highly sensitive CIA documents.Sally hired a sensitive to determine whether her new house was really haunted. How to Remember the Difference Remember that the word sensitive is used much more often than sensible, and you are likely to hear it used to negatively describe someone who overreacts to ordinary situations. For example, Hes so sensitive that he takes offense at every little thing. The word sensible, on the other hand, ends with the sound of able, so remember that a sensible person is able to make smart decisions and judgments. Sense and Sensibility The novel Sense and Sensibility,  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹by  Jane Austen, uses forms of the words sensitive and sensible in the title—but the use of the word sensibility in this context is archaic. The novel tells the story of two sisters, one of whom is reasonable and levelheaded (sense) and the other of whom is highly emotional (sensibility). In Austens time, the term sensibility described a person (usually a woman) who reacted almost entirely based on emotions. This was considered romantic at the time, but, of course, often led to making poor decisions. Sources Sense. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.Sensible.  The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.â€Å"Sensible/Sensitive.†Ã‚  Lingolia.Sensitive. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Sensitive vs. Sensible.†Ã‚  English Course Malta, 13 Dec. 2018.