hypersensitive

[hahy-per-sen-si-tiv]

adjective

1. excessively sensitive.

   to be hypersensitive to criticism.

2. allergic to a substance to which persons do not normally react.

hypersensitive

/ ˌhaɪpəˈsɛnsɪtɪv /

adjective

1. having unduly vulnerable feelings

2. abnormally sensitive to an allergen, a drug, or other agent

Other Word Forms

• hypersensitiveness noun
• hypersensitivity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of hypersensitive¹

First recorded in 1870–75; hyper- + sensitive

Example Sentences

It’s no easy job, appeasing the mercurial U.S. president while placating a nationalist base hypersensitive about U.S. meddling.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

A post-mortem examination found Hannah died after suffering a hypersensitive anaphylactic reaction triggered by an ingredient in her hot chocolate causing an allergic response.

Read more on BBC

The death of a 13-year-old girl who died of a hypersensitive anaphylactic reaction after drinking a Costa Coffee hot chocolate should be a "wake up call" to all food companies, campaigners say.

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A post-mortem examination found Hannah died after suffering from a hypersensitive anaphylactic reaction triggered by an ingredient in her hot chocolate that caused an allergic response.

Read more on BBC

“We know the Sound Transit board is hypersensitive to bad public relations, so they do everything they can to put a positive face on things, and that’s what happened here,” he said.

Read more on Seattle Times

Related Words

• capricious 
• erratic 
• excitable 
• fickle 
• headstrong 
• high-strung 
• impatient 
• irritable 
• mercurial 
• moody 
• ornery 
• passionate 
• petulant 
• thin-skinned 
• unpredictable 
• unreliable 
• unstable 
• volatile