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Showing results for hypersensitive. Search instead for hypersensitively.
Synonyms

hypersensitive

American  
[hahy-per-sen-si-tiv] / ˌhaɪ pərˈsɛn sɪ tɪv /

adjective

  1. excessively sensitive.

    to be hypersensitive to criticism.

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


hypersensitive British  
/ ˌhaɪpəˈsɛnsɪtɪv /

adjective

  1. having unduly vulnerable feelings

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of hypersensitive

First recorded in 1870–75; hyper- + sensitive

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Creators described feeling hypersensitive to how their posts performed, and spending more and more time each day monitoring them.

From Salon ● Aug. 30, 2026

It is understandable that investors are hypersensitive to future risks for Visa.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 4, 2026

"The Gardener’s Cat" features Louis, a hypersensitive gardener devastated by the impending loss of his kitten, which has a tumour.

From Barron's ● Feb. 6, 2026

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.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2024

No thermometer verified this, but a few weeks later the symptoms of nausea and hypersensitive noses did.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

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