Delicate vs. Sensitive — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Delicate and Sensitive
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Delicate
Very fine in texture or structure; of intricate workmanship or quality
A delicate lace shawl
Sensitive
Quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences
Spiders are sensitive to vibrations on their web
The new method of protein detection was more sensitive than earlier ones
Delicate
Easily broken or damaged; fragile
Delicate china
Sensitive
Having or displaying a quick and delicate appreciation of others' feelings
I pay tribute to the Minister for his sensitive handling of the bill
Delicate
Requiring sensitive or careful handling
Delicate negotiations
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Sensitive
Kept secret or with restrictions on disclosure to avoid endangering security
He was suspected of passing sensitive information to other countries
Delicate
A delicate fabric or garment
The delicates cycle of a washing machine
Sensitive
A person who is believed to respond to paranormal influences.
Delicate
Pleasing to the senses, especially in a subtle way
A delicate flavor.
A delicate violin passage.
Sensitive
Capable of perceiving with a sense or senses
Aristotle held that animals have a sensitive soul, but only humans have a rational one.
Delicate
Easily broken or damaged
A kite too delicate to fly.
Sensitive
Responsive or capable of responding to a chemical stimulus or substance. Used especially of a cell, tissue, or organism.
Delicate
Exquisitely fine or dainty
Delicate china.
Sensitive
Susceptible to slight differences or changes in the environment
A plant that is sensitive to rapid changes in temperature.
Heat-sensitive enzymes.
Delicate
Frail in constitution or health.
Sensitive
Readily altered by the action of an agent
Film that is sensitive to light.
Delicate
Marked by sensitivity of discrimination
A critic's delicate perception.
Sensitive
Registering slight differences or changes of condition. Used of an instrument.
Delicate
Very subtle in difference or distinction.
Sensitive
Easily irritated
Sensitive skin.
Delicate
Having or showing great consideration or care
Delicate remarks concerning the scandal.
Sensitive
Predisposed to inflammation as a result of preexisting allergy or disease
People with celiac disease are sensitive to gluten.
Delicate
Requiring careful or tactful treatment
A delicate situation.
Sensitive
Aware of or careful about the attitudes, feelings, or circumstances of others
The book is a sensitive treatment of a troubled friendship.
Delicate
Fine or soft in touch or skill
A surgeon's delicate touch.
Sensitive
Easily hurt, upset, or offended
Teenagers tend to be especially sensitive about their appearance.
Delicate
Measuring, indicating, or responding to very small changes; precise
A delicate set of scales.
Sensitive
Fluctuating or tending to fluctuate, especially in price
Sensitive stocks.
Delicate
Easily damaged or requiring careful handling.
Those clothes are made from delicate lace.
The negotiations were very delicate.
Sensitive
Of or relating to secret or classified information
Sensitive defense data.
Holds a sensitive position in the State Department.
Delicate
Characterized by a fine structure or thin lines.
Her face was delicate.
The spider wove a delicate web.
There was a delicate pattern of frost on the window.
Sensitive
A sensitive person.
Delicate
Intended for use with fragile items.
Set the washing machine to the delicate cycle.
Sensitive
One held to be endowed with psychic or occult powers.
Delicate
Refined; gentle; scrupulous not to trespass or offend; considerate; said of manners, conduct, or feelings.
Delicate behaviour
Delicate attentions
Delicate thoughtfulness
Sensitive
Having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses.
Delicate
Of weak health; easily sick; unable to endure hardship.
A delicate child
Delicate health
Sensitive
To stimuli.
Delicate
(informal) Unwell, especially because of having drunk too much alcohol.
Please don't speak so loudly: I'm feeling a bit delicate this morning.
Sensitive
(of a person) Easily offended, upset, or hurt.
Max is very sensitive; he cried today because of the bad news.
Delicate
(obsolete) Addicted to pleasure; luxurious; voluptuous; alluring.
Sensitive
(of an issue, topic, etc.) Capable of offending, upsetting, or hurting.
Religion is often a sensitive topic of discussion and should be avoided when dealing with foreign business associates.
Delicate
Pleasing to the senses; refined; adapted to please an elegant or cultivated taste.
A delicate dish
Delicate flavour
Sensitive
Meant to be concealed or kept secret.
These are highly sensitive documents.
Delicate
Slight and shapely; lovely; graceful.
Sensitive
, intricate, and requiring great delicacy.
The president's untimely statement disrupted some very sensitive negotiations.
Delicate
Light, or softly tinted; said of a colour.
A delicate shade of blue
Sensitive
(of an instrument) accurate; able to register small changes in some property.
Delicate
Of exacting tastes and habits; dainty; fastidious.
Sensitive
(archaic) Having paranormal abilities that can be controlled through mesmerism.
Delicate
Highly discriminating or perceptive; refinedly critical; sensitive; exquisite.
A delicate taste
A delicate ear for music
Sensitive
A person with a paranormal sensitivity to something that most cannot perceive.
Delicate
Affected by slight causes; showing slight changes.
A delicate thermometer
Sensitive
Having sense of feeling; possessing or exhibiting the capacity of receiving impressions from external objects; as, a sensitive soul.
Delicate
A delicate item of clothing, especially underwear or lingerie.
Don't put that in with your jeans: it's a delicate!
Sensitive
Having quick and acute sensibility, either to the action of external objects, or to impressions upon the mind and feelings; highly susceptible; easily and acutely affected.
She was too sensitive to abuse and calumny.
Delicate
(obsolete) A choice dainty; a delicacy.
Sensitive
Having a capacity of being easily affected or moved; as, a sensitive thermometer; sensitive scales.
Delicate
(obsolete) A delicate, luxurious, or effeminate person.
Sensitive
Serving to affect the sense; sensible.
A sensitive love of some sensitive objects.
Delicate
Addicted to pleasure; luxurious; voluptuous; alluring.
Dives, for his delicate life, to the devil went.
Haarlem is a very delicate town.
Sensitive
Of or pertaining to sensation; depending on sensation; as, sensitive motions; sensitive muscular motions excited by irritation.
Delicate
Pleasing to the senses; refinedly agreeable; hence, adapted to please a nice or cultivated taste; nice; fine; elegant; as, a delicate dish; delicate flavor.
Sensitive
Responsive to physical stimuli;
A mimosa's leaves are sensitive to touch
A sensitive voltmeter
Sensitive skin
Sensitive to light
Delicate
Slight and shapely; lovely; graceful; as, "a delicate creature."
Sensitive
Having acute mental or emotional sensibility;
Sensitive to the local community and its needs
Delicate
Fine or slender; minute; not coarse; - said of a thread, or the like; as, delicate cotton.
Sensitive
Able to feel or perceive;
Even amoeba are sensible creatures
The more sensible p{ enveloping(a), shrouding(a), concealing,& (concealing by enclosing or wrapping as if in something that is not solid;
;
) }arts of the skin
Delicate
Slight or smooth; light and yielding; - said of texture; as, delicate lace or silk.
Sensitive
Hurting;
The tender spot on his jaw
Delicate
Soft and fair; - said of the skin or a surface; as, a delicate cheek; a delicate complexion.
Sensitive
Used officially of classified information or matters affecting national security
Delicate
Light, or softly tinted; - said of a color; as, a delicate blue.
Delicate
Refined; gentle; scrupulous not to trespass or offend; considerate; - said of manners, conduct, or feelings; as, delicate behavior; delicate attentions; delicate thoughtfulness.
Delicate
Tender; not able to endure hardship; feeble; frail; effeminate; - said of constitution, health, etc.; as, a delicate child; delicate health.
A delicate and tender prince.
Delicate
Requiring careful handling; not to be rudely or hastily dealt with; nice; critical; as, a delicate subject or question.
There are some things too delicate and too sacred to be handled rudely without injury to truth.
Delicate
Of exacting tastes and habits; dainty; fastidious.
Delicate
Nicely discriminating or perceptive; refinedly critical; sensitive; exquisite; as, a delicate taste; a delicate ear for music.
Delicate
Affected by slight causes; showing slight changes; as, a delicate thermometer.
Delicate
A choice dainty; a delicacy.
With abstinence all delicates he sees.
Delicate
A delicate, luxurious, or effeminate person.
All the vessels, then, which our delicates have, - those I mean that would seem to be more fine in their houses than their neighbors, - are only of the Corinth metal.
Delicate
Exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury;
A delicate violin passage
Delicate china
A delicate flavor
The delicate wing of a butterfly
Delicate
Marked by great skill especially in meticulous technique;
A surgeon's delicate touch
Delicate
Easily broken or damaged or destroyed;
A kite too delicate to fly safely
Fragile porcelain plates
Fragile old bones
A frail craft
Delicate
Easily hurt;
Soft hands
A baby's delicate skin
Delicate
Developed with extreme delicacy and subtlety;
The satire touches with finespun ridicule every kind of human pretense
Delicate
Difficult to handle; requiring great tact;
Delicate negotiations with the big powers
Hesitates to be explicit on so ticklish a matter
Delicate
Of an instrument or device; capable of registering minute differences or changes precisely;
Almost undetectable with even the most delicate instruments
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