sensibility
noun
Did you know?
The meanings of sensibility run the gamut from mere sensation to excessive sentimentality. In between is a capacity for delicate appreciation, a sense often pluralized. In Jane Austen's books, sensibility is mostly an admirable quality she attributes to, or finds lacking in, her characters: "He had ... a sensibility to what was amiable and lovely" (of Mr. Elliot in Persuasion). In Sense and Sensibility, however, Austen starts out by ascribing to Marianne sensibleness, on the one hand, but an "excess of sensibility" on the other: "Her sorrows, her joys, could have no moderation ... she was everything but prudent."
Examples of sensibility in a Sentence
Anika Reed, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
And though all of Anderson’s artistry and jittery comedic sensibility is present, the director hasn’t created a pretentious version of an action flick; One Battle After Another is the real thing, filled with beautifully shot car chases and shoot-outs.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2025
Bellwether is a fitting name for this charmer; the old-but-new sensibilities here set the standard for low-country luxury with eyes trained on both the present and the past.
—Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2025
How Marchetti Expanded His Fashion Empire Globally The Benchmark Capital investment proved transformative, enabling YOOX to establish itself in America while maintaining its Italian design sensibility.
—Pooja Shah, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sensibility
Cite this Entry
“Sensibility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sensibility. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sensibility
noun
Medical Definition
sensibility
noun
Share