Meaning & use
sensible
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Meanings
adjectivecomparableapproving
Based on good judgment and practical thinking, so that the choice is likely to work well.
Grammar: Can come before a noun or after be: a sensible plan, that was sensible.
Patterns
- it is sensible to do something
- a sensible choice
It is sensible to save some money every month.
She made the sensible decision to leave before the snow got worse.
Wearing a helmet is the sensible thing to do.
adjectivebefore a noun
Practical and comfortable, not designed for fashion, especially of clothes and shoes.
Grammar: Used before a noun: sensible shoes.
Patterns
- sensible shoes
- sensible clothes
She packed sensible shoes for the long walk.
He chose a sensible coat rather than a stylish one.
Sensible boots are best for muddy trails.
adjectiveafter a verbformalold-fashioned
Aware of something, especially a danger or feeling.
Grammar: Usually followed by of: sensible of the risks.
Patterns
- be sensible of something
He was sensible of the honor the committee had given him.
The captain was sensible of the danger ahead.
She remained sensible of her debt to her teachers.
Word forms
| comparative | more sensible |
|---|---|
| superlative | most sensible |
Common combinations
- sensible decision
- Staying home during the storm was a sensible decision.
- sensible precautions
- Take sensible precautions when traveling alone.
- sensible advice
- His parents gave him some sensible advice about money.
- sensible shoes
- Pack sensible shoes for the cobbled streets.
- perfectly sensible
- Her reasons for leaving were perfectly sensible.
Synonyms and how they differ
- practical
- Practical stresses usefulness in real life, while sensible stresses sound judgment.
- reasonable
- Reasonable often means fair or not extreme, whereas sensible suggests wisdom in choosing.
- prudent
- Prudent is more formal and carries a sense of careful thought about future risks.
- wise
- Wise suggests deeper understanding gained over time, while sensible is more ordinary.
Opposites
Word family
- sensibly adverb
- in a practical, reasonable way
- sensibleness noun
- the quality of being sensible
- sense noun
- good judgment, as in common sense
- insensible adjective
- not aware, or not able to feel
Commonly confused: sensible or sensitive? sensible or sensual?
sensible vs sensitive
Sensitive means easily affected by feelings or touch; sensible means showing good judgment.
sensible vs sensual
Sensual relates to physical pleasure and has nothing to do with judgment.
Practice
It was ____ of her to check the weather forecast before planning the picnic.
Choose one answer.
Sensible means showing practical good judgment, which fits checking the forecast. Sensitive is the commonly confused word, but it refers to feelings, not wise choices.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sensible”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.