sensitivity
Americannoun
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sensitivities
plural
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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:
He will be remembered for his sensitivity, wit, inteligence, and depth of spirit he brought to those who knew and loved him.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
Some brands have been hesitant to deploy the trackers on their sites given the sensitivity around AI and privacy, ad buyers said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
The circuit layout has lots of corners, and it is expected to have a low power sensitivity, around the level of Zandvoort.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
Surveys covering much larger areas, meanwhile, generally lacked the sensitivity needed to detect such faint radio signals.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 3, 2026
“Part of what Karva Chauth celebrates is friendship. Between women. And the smell of that soup is driving me crazy. A bit of sensitivity, please!”
From "Goodbye Stranger" by Rebecca Stead
Mr. Washington, star of Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman,” has one of the richer roles, as the tech overlord who with supple suavity plays upon his friends’ weaknesses and sensitivities to achieve his ends.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
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
“Our annual pricing sensitivities, which are based on a 15 day lag for simplicity, do not account for the steep changes near quarter end,” Beerman says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 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
“Chicken, corn, wheat, and soy can sometimes trigger food sensitivities in cats.”
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
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.
