sensitivity
Americannoun
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the state or quality of being sensitive; sensitiveness.
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Physiology.
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the ability of an organism or part of an organism to react to stimuli; irritability.
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degree of susceptibility to stimulation.
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Electricity.
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the ability of a radio device to react to incoming signals, expressed as the minimum input signal required to produce a specified output signal with a given noise level.
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the input, as voltage, current, or the like, required to produce full deflection in an electric measuring device, expressed as the ratio of the response to the magnitude of the input quantity.
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noun
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the state or quality of being sensitive
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physiol the state, condition, or quality of reacting or being sensitive to an external stimulus, drug, allergen, etc
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electronics the magnitude or time of response of an instrument, circuit, etc, to an input signal, such as a current
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photog the degree of response of an emulsion to light or other actinic radiation, esp to light of a particular colour, expressed in terms of its speed
Synonym Usage
See sensibility.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of sensitivity
Explanation
Sensitivity has many shades of meaning but most relate to your response to your environment — either physical or emotional. Sensitivity to cold means you’re quick to notice the slightest chill — in the air or in another person’s actions. A sensitivity to pollen means you’re sneezing any time it’s in the air — you just always seem to react to it. It’s the same with emotions — sensitivity means you pick up on the feelings of others. If you have great sensitivity to your classmates, then you’re aware of their needs and behave in a way that makes them feel good. If you introduce a new policy with sensitivity, that means you consider how others will react to it.
Vocabulary lists containing sensitivity
"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
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Nine, Ten
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poems by Nikki Giovanni
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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:
This reduces the need for complex measurements while also increasing sensitivity.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026
He said that the franchise's longevity was due to "all the people like you and your parents and your grandparents, because of their intelligence and their sensitivity and their vision" in supporting Gene Roddenberry's concept.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
So analysts at a geopolitical advisory firm have created a mathematical formula, using Trump’s well known sensitivity to financial-market moves.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
Tan compared Beijing’s sensitivity to any suggestion of a Taiwan distinct from China to an obsessive-compulsive disorder.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
In fact, some medical men believe that intermittent exposures to chemicals may produce just such sensitivity.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
As Stella said: "It's only now, and we are mid-season, that we are starting to have the required tools in order to be able to anticipate, optimise, and study these sensitivities."
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Australia lays claim to around 28 percent of the world's uranium resource, but legal hurdles and political sensitivities have hindered exports to India.
From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026
However, Pasadena officials wanted to ensure the public is not alarmed by any loud noises especially given increased sensitivities during election week, Derderian said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2026
The U.A.E. has openly hosted other Israeli leaders in the past, underscoring specific sensitivities around Netanyahu.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
Hamilton tried to reassure him that his sensitivities on this score were excessive, that if he did choose to run for a third term, he would win in a walk.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
