Vocabulary · Free lesson
Sensible or sensitive: practical judgment or feelings?
A practical decision and a strong emotional response are different things. Sensible and sensitive help you describe the difference.
Professor Scott MendozaThe short answer
Sensible means showing good, practical judgment. Sensitive can mean easily affected emotionally or aware of other people’s feelings. “That was a sensible choice” praises a decision; “She is sensitive to criticism” describes how criticism affects her.
Ask what quality the sentence is describing.
Packing a spare charger for a long trip can be sensible: it solves a practical problem. Someone who notices a friend is upset and chooses careful words can be sensitive to the friend’s feelings. The same person can be both sensible and sensitive. Neither word is simply the opposite of the other.
Two qualities, different evidence
Taking a spare charger was sensible.
She is sensitive to criticism.
He is sensitive to his friends’ feelings.
Sensitive does not always criticize someone. Being sensitive to another person’s feelings can be a positive quality.
Choose by meaning
Identify the practical reason
A spare charger prevents a problem.
Name that quality
That was sensible.
Change the word for feelings
She is sensitive to criticism.
Try it now
Match the intended quality
Read all answers and explanations
You mean that bringing a backup charger was a practical decision. Which word says that?
It was sensible.Sensible expresses practical judgment. Sensitive introduces a different quality; senseless means lacking sense.
Mina is easily hurt by criticism. Choose the adjective that describes that response, not her decision-making.
She is sensitive to criticism.Sensitive to criticism describes being emotionally affected by it. Sensible does not express that meaning here.
Which sentence specifically describes awareness of other people’s feelings?
He is sensitive to his friends’ feelings.The last sentence concerns friends’ feelings. Travel plans concern practical judgment; sensitive skin is a different use.
Put it into practice
Keep the intended meaning
The writer wants to praise a practical choice: checking the bus time before leaving. Select the sentence that says this.
It was sensitive to check the bus time before leaving.
See a model answer
It was sensible to check the bus time before leaving.
The revision changes the adjective while preserving the action and positive meaning.
A little more clarity
Common questions
A few useful details before you move on.
Can someone be sensible and sensitive?
Yes. Someone can make practical decisions and also notice or strongly feel emotions. The words describe different qualities.
She is sensible and sensitive to others’ feelings.
Is sensitive always negative?
No. Look at the context. Awareness of others’ feelings can be positive, while easily hurt describes a different emotional response.
Please be sensitive to her feelings.
Take it into your day
Sensible concerns practical judgment; sensitive can concern feelings.
Your next step · Available on Udemy
Choose words that express your meaning.
The English Grammar and English Speaking Master Course includes vocabulary and conversation foundations in everyday speaking sections such as Small Talk. It can help you build clearer sentences; this specific word comparison is an original free lesson.
Explore the course English Master Course: English Grammar and English Speaking