Synonyms for sensibility
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Sensitiveness
sensitiveness, sensitivity, taste, refinement, delicacy, susceptibility, tact
2. Emotion — the ability to perceive or sense as opposed to the ability to understand; also, in the philosophy of the…
Other
perceptibility, affectibility, impressibility, overemotionality, aesthesia UK, esthesia US
Definitions
- n. 1
The ability to perceive or sense as opposed to the ability to understand; also, in the philosophy of the German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724–1804): emotion or feeling as opposed to the will.
- n. 2
Emotions or feelings arising from or relating to aesthetic or moral standards, especially those which are sensitive and thus likely to be hurt or offended.
I apologize if I offended your sensibilities, but that’s the truth of the matter.
Forms
- Plural
- sensibilities → sensitivenesses, sensitivities, tastes, refinements…
Choose the right word
Some consider taste as a mere sensibility, and others as a simple exercise of judgment; but a union of both is requisite to the existence of anything which deserves the name.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Example sentences
- taste My wife's taste in clothes is different from mine.
- sensitivity It's a topic I approach with care and sensitivity.
- refinement I read many books, and attained refinement.
- feeling I am feeling quite pleased about what you've said.
- emotion It'd be great if joy was the only emotion we felt.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| sensibility | rising | |
| taste | rising | |
| sensitivity | steady | |
| refinement | steady | |
| sensitiveness | falling | |
| feeling | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- tact1
- 5 letters
- sense1, taste1
- 7 letters
- feeling2, emotion3
- 8 letters
- delicacy4, esthesia
- 9 letters
- sentiment3, aesthesia
- 10 letters
- refinement3
- 11 letters
- sensitivity5
- 13 letters
- sensitiveness4, affectibility
- 14 letters
- susceptibility6, perceptibility, impressibility
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (feeling2 = 2 syllables).