ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sensible

adj.
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //ˈsɛnsəbəɫ// UK //sˈɛnsəbəl// sen·si·ble Archaic Formal General-service

adj. showing good judgment and making choices based on reason rather than emotion. You use this to describe someone who is practical and can be trusted to do the right thing.

adj. possessing or displaying prudent judgment; practical and functional rather than decorative or impulsive. Often used to describe decisions, behavior, or clothing.


SIMPLE

It is sensible to save some money every month.

CONTEXTUAL

She wore sensible shoes for the long walk across the city.

COMPLEX

A sensible approach to the budget crisis involves cutting non-essential spending while protecting the core services that the community relies upon daily.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Latin sēnsibilis (“perceptible by the senses, having feeling, sensible”), from sentiō (“to feel, perceive”).

Usage

Typically precedes the noun it modifies or follows a linking verb like 'be' or 'seem'.

Pitfall

He is very sensible to criticism.He is very sensitive to criticism.Learners often confuse 'sensible' (practical/wise) with 'sensitive' (easily affected or hurt), especially if their native language has a cognate like 'sensible' that means 'sensitive'.

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