hypersensitive

[ hahy-per-sen-si-tiv ]

adjective

1. excessively sensitive:

   to be hypersensitive to criticism.

2. allergic to a substance to which persons do not normally react.

hypersensitive

/ ˌhaɪpəˈsɛnsɪtɪv /

adjective

1. having unduly vulnerable feelings
2. abnormally sensitive to an allergen, a drug, or other agent

Derived Forms

• ˌhyperˈsensitiveness, noun

Other Words From

• hyper·sensi·tive·ness hyper·sensi·tivi·ty noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of hypersensitive¹

First recorded in 1870–75; hyper- + sensitive

Example Sentences

A post-mortem examination found Hannah died after suffering a hypersensitive anaphylactic reaction triggered by an ingredient in her hot chocolate causing an allergic response.

From BBC

The death of a 13-year-old girl who died of a hypersensitive anaphylactic reaction after drinking a Costa Coffee hot chocolate should be a "wake up call" to all food companies, campaigners say.

From BBC

A post-mortem examination found Hannah died after suffering from a hypersensitive anaphylactic reaction triggered by an ingredient in her hot chocolate that caused an allergic response.

From BBC

“We know the Sound Transit board is hypersensitive to bad public relations, so they do everything they can to put a positive face on things, and that’s what happened here,” he said.

From Seattle Times

Research has shown that lonely people are hypersensitive to negative social words, such as “disliked” or “rejected,” and to faces expressing negative emotions.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• capricious
• erratic
• excitable
• fickle
• headstrong
• high-strung
• impatient
• irritable
• mercurial
• moody
• ornery
• passionate
• petulant
• thin-skinned
• unpredictable
• unreliable
• unstable
• volatile