Sensible means reasonable and practical, sensitive means easily upset, aware of other people's feelings, or delicate. A sensible person makes level-headed decisions; a sensitive person feels things deeply or picks up on how others feel.
sensible or sensitive — can you pick the right one?
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sensible + person/decision/shoes; it's sensible to + verb; sensitive to/about + noun; sensitive skin/topic/information
- It would be sensible to book the hotel before prices go up in summer.
- This cream is good for sensitive skin and doesn't smell of anything.
- Salary is a sensitive topic, so don't ask new colleagues about it.
What changed
First versionShe cried after the meeting: she is very sensible to criticism.
RevisionShe cried after the meeting: she is very sensitive to criticism.
Sensible seems related to sense and sensation, so it's tempting to use it for feelings. But the sense here is the one in common sense. Someone who reacts badly to criticism is sensitive to criticism.
Sensible shoes aren't sensitive or clever shoes; they're comfortable and practical: low heels, good for long walks. For the walking tour, wear sensible shoes, not heels. Sensitive has a surprising meaning too: sensitive information is confidential.
Your turn
Don't mention his weight. He's very ___ about it.
Show the answer
sensitive — He reacts badly to talk about his weight, so he's sensitive about it. Sensible about it would mean he's level-headed about the topic, and then mentioning his weight would be fine.
Describe a decision you made before a trip. Use sensible and say why the decision was a wise one.
Before my trip to Scotland, I made the sensible decision to pack a raincoat because the forecast promised rain all week.
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