Vocabulary False Friends B1–B2 5 min read Updated 13 June 2026

Quick answer: Sensible means having good judgment and common sense: “It was sensible to bring an umbrella.” Sensitive means easily affected emotionally or physically: “She is very sensitive to criticism.” These are false friends — in French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese, the cognate word means sensitive in English, not sensible.

Comparison Table

WordPart of SpeechMeaningExample
sensibleadjectiveshowing good judgment and common sense; practical and reasonableWearing a helmet is the sensible thing to do.
sensitiveadjectiveeasily hurt or offended; able to detect small changes or stimuliHe is sensitive about his weight.

Using Sensible

Sensible describes a person, decision, or course of action showing good judgment. It is always a positive adjective. Synonyms: reasonable, practical, wise, prudent, sound.

It was sensible to bring an umbrella given the forecast.

She made a sensible decision to save money before buying a car.

Wearing sensible shoes is important when hiking.

That’s a very sensible suggestion — let’s go with that.

Common collocations: sensible advice, sensible choice, sensible approach, sensible shoes, a sensible person.

Using Sensitive

Sensitive has two main meanings: (1) easily affected emotionally — quickly hurt or offended; (2) able to detect or respond to small changes or stimuli. Synonyms: delicate, perceptive, emotional, tender, reactive.

She is quite sensitive to criticism and needs gentle feedback.

The sensor is sensitive to temperature changes as small as 0.1°C.

Unemployment is a sensitive issue in this region.

My skin is very sensitive to sunlight.

Common collocations: sensitive skin, sensitive issue, emotionally sensitive, sensitive to light/heat, sensitive data, highly sensitive.

False Friends Alert: In French (sensible), Spanish (sensible), Italian (sensibile), and Portuguese (sensível), the cognate word means sensitive in English — not sensible. So a French speaker saying “He is very sensible” likely means “He is very sensitive.” Always double-check which English word you need!

The Key Difference

  • Sensible = uses their senses wisely; makes sense; has common sense. Think: “That makes sense — how sensible!”
  • Sensitive = their senses are easily triggered; feels things strongly. Think: “Sensitive nerves, sensitive person.”

More Examples

It’s sensible to check the weather before a long walk.

He was too sensitive to watch sad films without crying.

The committee took a sensible approach to the budget cuts.

This microphone is incredibly sensitive — it picks up everything.

A sensible diet includes plenty of vegetables and water.

The topic of pay is sensitive in this office.

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1 — False-friend error

✗ She is very sensible about her appearance. (meaning easily upset)
✓ She is very sensitive about her appearance.

Mistake 2 — Sensitive when sensible needed

✗ That was a sensitive decision to bring warm clothes.
✓ That was a sensible decision to bring warm clothes.

Mistake 3 — Sensitive data

✗ Please keep this sensible information confidential.
✓ Please keep this sensitive information confidential.

Quick Quiz

Q1: “It was __ of her to save some money for emergencies.”

sensible — saving money for emergencies shows good judgment.

Q2: “My eyes are very __ to bright light.”

sensitive — eyes that react strongly to light are sensitive.

Q3: “He gave us some very __ advice about managing stress.”

sensible — practical, wise advice is sensible advice.

Practice More

Related Confusing Words

Frequently Asked Questions

What does sensible mean in English?
Sensible means showing good judgment, common sense, and practicality. A sensible person makes wise, reasonable decisions. Examples: “a sensible plan,” “sensible advice,” “it’s sensible to save money.” It is a positive adjective suggesting wisdom and sound thinking.
What does sensitive mean in English?
Sensitive has two main meanings: (1) easily affected emotionally — a sensitive person is quick to feel hurt or offended: “She is sensitive to criticism.” (2) able to detect or respond to small changes — a sensitive instrument, sensitive skin, sensitive to heat. It also describes topics requiring careful handling: “a sensitive issue.”
Are sensible and sensitive false friends?
Yes, this is one of the most common false-friend pairs for European learners. In French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese, the cognate word means “sensitive” in English, NOT “sensible.” This causes errors like “He is very sensible” when the speaker means “He is very sensitive.”
Can a person be both sensible and sensitive?
Absolutely. These are not opposites. A person can be sensible (they make wise decisions) AND sensitive (they are emotionally perceptive). Example: “She is a sensible manager who is also sensitive to her team’s needs.”
How do I use sensible in a sentence?
Use sensible when describing wise, practical choices or people who make them: “It was sensible to book tickets early.” “He gave sensible advice.” “Wear sensible shoes for the hike.” Often used as “it is sensible to do something.”
What are the main collocations with sensitive?
Common collocations: sensitive skin, sensitive issue, emotionally sensitive, highly sensitive, sensitive to light/pain/criticism, sensitive data/information, a sensitive topic, price-sensitive, time-sensitive, sensitive detector.
Is sensible positive or negative?
Sensible is almost always positive in English. It compliments someone’s judgment and practicality. Calling someone “sensible” is a compliment meaning they are wise and reasonable.
Is sensitive positive or negative?
Sensitive can be both. Positively: “She is sensitive to others’ feelings” (= empathetic). Negatively: “He is too sensitive” (= easily upset). In technical contexts it is neutral. The tone depends entirely on context.
What is the adverb form of sensible and sensitive?
The adverb of sensible is sensibly: “She sensibly decided to leave early.” The adverb of sensitive is sensitively: “The therapist handled the issue sensitively.”
What is the noun form of sensible and sensitive?
The noun from sensible is sense or sensibleness (rare in practice). The noun from sensitive is sensitivity: “She has great sensitivity to others’ emotions.” Sensitivity is much more commonly used.