Sensible — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ˈsen(t)-sə-bəl/ sen·si·ble

Meaning & Definition of Sensible

Sensible (adjective)

  1. having, containing, or indicative of good sense or reason, rational, reasonable
  2. designed for practical ends (such as comfort) rather than for appearance
  3. of a kind to be felt or perceived

Sensible (noun)

  1. something that can be sensed

Sensible (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. based on sound reasoning or information

    "a sensible decision to delay marriage until they knew one another better"

    similar: commonsense, commonsensible, commonsensical, firm, good, hard, informed, just, justified, levelheaded, logical, rational, reasonable, reasoned, sober, solid, valid, well-founded
    related: actual, real, true, certain, sure, certified, validated, verified, confirmed, corroborated, substantiated, cogent, convincing, colorable, credible, plausible
    opposite: groundless, illogical, invalid, irrational, nonrational, nonsensical, nonvalid, unfounded, uninformed, unjustified, unreasonable, unreasoned, unsound
    near: unsubstantiated, unsupported, unwarranted, flimsy, implausible, unconvincing, weak, fallacious, false, misguided, misled

  2. according to the rules of logic

    "this is the only sensible conclusion"

    similar: analytic, coherent, consequent, good, logical, rational, reasonable, sound, valid, well-founded, well-grounded
    related: a posteriori, a priori, syllogistic, cognitive, empirical, defendable, defensible, justifiable, maintainable, supportable, sustainable, tenable
    opposite: illegitimate, illogical, incoherent, inconsequent, inconsequential, invalid, irrational, unreasonable, unsound, weak
    near: casuistic, eristic, fallacious, misleading, sophistic, specious, unarticulated, unscientific, absurd, cockeyed, crazy, daffy, fatuous, half-baked, half-witted, harebrained, insane, loony, mad, nonsensical, nutty, preposterous, simpleminded, stupid, weak-minded, witless, senseless, thoughtless, uncompelling, unconvincing

  3. able to be perceived by a sense or by the mind

    "a sensible change in temperature"

    similar: appreciable, apprehensible, detectable, discernible, distinguishable, palpable, perceptible
    related: audible, observable, tangible, visible, clear, conspicuous, evident, eye-catching, manifest, noticeable, obvious, plain, ponderable, prominent, striking, apparent, distinct, identifiable, significant, straightforward
    opposite: impalpable, imperceptible, inappreciable, indistinguishable, insensible, undetectable
    near: inaudible, intangible, invisible, inconspicuous, indistinct, unnoticeable, unobtrusive, faint, insignificant, slight, trivial, buried, concealed, covert, disguised, hidden, obscure, shrouded, vague

  4. having specified facts or feelings actively impressed on the mind

    "sensible of the shift in attitude by the general public on the issue"

    similar: alive, apprehensive, aware, cognizant, conscious, mindful, sentient, ware, witting
    related: alert, attentive, careful, cautious, heedful, observant, open-eyed, regardful, safe, vigilant, wary, watchful, wide-awake, hyperaware, hyperconscious
    opposite: insensible, oblivious, unaware, unconscious, unmindful, unwitting
    near: careless, heedless, inattentive, incautious, mindless, unguarded, unheeding, unwary

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Sensible

The most common words with a similar meaning to Sensible:

commonsense, commonsensible, commonsensical, firm, good, hard, informed, just, justified, levelheaded, logical, rational, reasonable, reasoned, sober, solid, valid, well-founded, analytic, coherent, consequent, sound, well-grounded, appreciable, apprehensible, detectable, discernible, distinguishable, palpable, perceptible, alive, apprehensive, aware, cognizant, conscious, mindful, sentient, ware, witting

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Sensible

Words with the opposite meaning of Sensible:

groundless, illogical, invalid, irrational, nonrational, nonsensical, nonvalid, unfounded, uninformed, unjustified, unreasonable, unreasoned, unsound, illegitimate, incoherent, inconsequent, inconsequential, weak, impalpable, imperceptible, inappreciable, indistinguishable, insensible, undetectable, oblivious, unaware, unconscious, unmindful, unwitting

Related Words for Sensible

actual, real, true, certain, sure, certified, validated, verified, confirmed, corroborated, substantiated, cogent, convincing, colorable, credible, plausible, a posteriori, a priori, syllogistic, cognitive, empirical, defendable, defensible, justifiable, maintainable, supportable, sustainable, tenable, audible, observable

Near Antonyms of Sensible

unsubstantiated, unsupported, unwarranted, flimsy, implausible, unconvincing, fallacious, false, misguided, misled, casuistic, eristic, misleading, sophistic, specious, unarticulated, unscientific, absurd, cockeyed, crazy, daffy, fatuous, half-baked, half-witted, harebrained, insane, loony, mad, nutty, preposterous

Word Forms of Sensible

Derived words: sensibleness (noun), sensibly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Sensible

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin sensibilis, from sensus, past participle of sentire to feel

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Sensible

Words & Phrases Containing Sensible

sensible heat

Frequently Asked Questions about Sensible

What does "Sensible" mean?

"Sensible" means having, containing, or indicative of good sense or reason, rational, reasonable. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: having, containing, or indicative of good sense or reason, rational, reasonable. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Sensible"?

Other words for "Sensible" include commonsense, commonsensible, commonsensical, firm, good, hard, informed and just. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Sensible" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Sensible"?

There are 102 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Sensible". Common alternatives include commonsense, commonsensible, commonsensical, firm, good, hard, informed, just, justified and levelheaded.

What is the opposite of "Sensible"?

Antonyms of "Sensible" include groundless, illogical, invalid, irrational, nonrational, nonsensical, nonvalid and unfounded. Near antonyms include unsubstantiated, unsupported, unwarranted and flimsy.

How do you use "Sensible" in a sentence?

Examples of "Sensible" in a sentence: "a sensible decision to delay marriage until they knew one another better"; "this is the only sensible conclusion"; "a sensible change in temperature".

Is "Sensible" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Sensible" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Sensible" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Sensible" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Sensible"?

"Sensible" is pronounced /ˈsen(t)-sə-bəl/ and divided into syllables as sen·si·ble.