sensitivity

/ˌsensəˈtɪvəti/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌsensəˈtɪvəti/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌsen(t)-sə-ˈti-və-tē/ (ame, mw)

sensitivity — noun

  • sensitivitysingular
  • sensitivitiesplural

1. a quality that lets a person notice and respond kindly to someone else's feeling

1.名詞B2
釋義

a quality that lets a person notice and respond kindly to someone else's feelings or needs

例句

As a nurse, Ife's sensitivity to patients' worries made everyone feel calmer.

sensitivity to + noun phrase (patients' worries)

The manager showed great sensitivity when she asked the team about their workload.

同義詞
  • empathy

    focuses more on sharing the feeling itself rather than responding helpfully

  • understanding

    broader term; less emotional nuance

  • compassion

    implies a stronger wish to relieve suffering

反義詞

文法句型

sensitivity to [someone/something]

show sensitivity towards [someone]

用法筆記

Often used in professional contexts such as healthcare, management, or social work to describe the quality of being attentive to others' emotional states.

常見錯誤

❌She has a sensitivity for others' feelings.
✅She has sensitivity to others' feelings.
💡The correct preposition after sensitivity in this sense is 'to', not 'for'.

2. a tendency to feel hurt or offended quickly by what others say or do

2.名詞B2
釋義

a tendency to feel hurt or offended quickly by what others say or do

例句

Roya's sensitivity to criticism made it hard for her team to give honest feedback.

sensitivity to + criticism

His sensitivity about his accent caused him to avoid speaking in meetings.

同義詞
  • touchiness

    more informal; emphasises quick anger or annoyance

  • defensiveness

    focuses on self-protective reactions rather than hurt feelings

  • vulnerability

    broader term; not always negative

反義詞
  • resilience

    ability to recover quickly from criticism or setbacks

  • toughness

    informal; not easily affected by others' words

文法句型

sensitivity to [criticism/rejection]

sensitivity about [appearance/accent/age]

用法筆記

This sense carries a slightly negative tone, implying vulnerability or thin-skinnedness. It contrasts with sense 1 (UNDERSTAND OTHERS), where sensitivity is a positive trait.

常見錯誤

❌Don't be so sensitive on criticism.
✅Don't be so sensitive to criticism.
💡After 'sensitive' (adjective) or 'sensitivity', use 'to', not 'on'.

3. the characteristic of a topic or situation that calls for careful handling so it

3.名詞B2
釋義

the characteristic of a topic or situation that calls for careful handling so it does not offend anyone or cause trouble

例句

The political sensitivity of the land dispute meant no one wanted to discuss it openly.

the + adjective + sensitivity of + noun phrase

Journalists must understand the cultural sensitivity of reporting on religious ceremonies abroad.

同義詞

文法句型

the sensitivity of [an issue/a subject/the matter]

due to the sensitivity of

用法筆記

Frequently modifies nouns like 'issue', 'subject', 'matter', 'topic', or 'information'. Common in news reporting, corporate communications, and diplomatic contexts.

常見錯誤

❌The sensitive of the topic requires careful handling.
✅The sensitivity of the topic requires careful handling.
💡Use the noun 'sensitivity', not the adjective 'sensitive', after 'the'.

4. the tendency of a body or body part to react strongly to a particular substance,

4.名詞B1
釋義

the tendency of a body or body part to react strongly to a particular substance, light, temperature, or other physical stimulus

例句

Piotr's skin sensitivity to sunlight meant he always wore sunscreen when going outside.

skin sensitivity to + noun

Some factory workers develop a strong sensitivity to loud noises after years on the job.

同義詞
  • allergy

    more specific; involves an immune system response

  • intolerance

    commonly used for food reactions (e.g., lactose intolerance)

  • susceptibility

    formal; implies being easily affected or harmed

反義詞
  • resistance

    ability to withstand a substance without reaction

  • immunity

    medical term for complete protection from a substance

文法句型

sensitivity to [light/sound/food/pollen]

skin sensitivity

food sensitivity

用法筆記

In medical contexts, sensitivity is different from an allergy: an allergy involves the immune system, while sensitivity may involve a broader range of physical responses. However, in everyday language, the two terms are often used interchangeably.

常見錯誤

❌I have sensitivity for dairy products.
✅I have sensitivity to dairy products.
💡Use 'to', not 'for', after sensitivity in this sense.

5. the capacity of a device or test to pick up on or register tiny variations in wh

5.名詞C1
釋義

the capacity of a device or test to pick up on or register tiny variations in what it measures

例句

The laboratory scale's sensitivity let the chemist measure a single grain of salt.

the sensitivity of [instrument]

High sensitivity in a microphone helps capture quiet sounds during a professional recording session.

high sensitivity in [device]

同義詞
  • precision

    focuses on consistency of measurement, not minimal detectable change

  • accuracy

    broader term; how close a measurement is to the true value

  • responsiveness

    how quickly a device reacts to input

反義詞
  • insensitivity

    inability to detect or register small changes

  • tolerance

    the range within which a device does not react

文法句型

the sensitivity of [an instrument/a device/a sensor]

high/low sensitivity

用法筆記

This sense is almost exclusively used in technical, scientific, or engineering writing. In product specifications, sensitivity is often expressed as a numerical value (e.g., 'the scale has a sensitivity of 0.001 grams').

常見錯誤

❌This sensor has a great sensitivity for small movements.
✅This sensor has high sensitivity to small movements.
💡Use 'to' rather than 'for', and prefer 'high'/'low' over 'great' in technical writing.