Sensitive is a difficult word to use because it can have a positive and negative meaning. As a negative it means that someone reacts too easily, they are too sensitive to things. So, for example, if you told your mother that the meal wasn’t so tasty and she started crying or picked up your plate and threw it in the bin, she would be being sensitive. The reaction is too strong.
Sensitive as a positive is when you can understand and react well to a person’s feelings. So in the above example, if you mum got upset, a sensitive thing to do would be to make her a nice cup of tea and give her a hug.
Sensible is something else completely. This means being responsible or doing the right thing. So, if you were in a pub at 11pm on a work night and your friend suggested you buy some shots, the sensible thing would be to say no and go home. Buying the shots would be reckless – but that said, it’s often the option we take!
Here are all three together:
A: My boyfriend bought me some roses yesterday. He’s so sensitive.
B: My boyfriend offered to drive me to work yesterday. It was nice of him but I said no. He’s not a sensible driver and he would probably have crashed on the way!
