🎤 Detects tiny signals ⚠️ Needs special care 😢 Easily upset

ultrasensitive

6.3

Very easily upset by what people say or do

adjective
/ˌʌltrəˈsɛnsɪtɪv/

: ultrasensible

During the meeting, her ultrasensitive reactions to feedback made it difficult for her to participate openly.

Examples

Due to her ultrasensitive nature, she often feels hurt by comments that others might consider harmless.
You couldn't be ultrasensitive when you had to turn away countless hopefuls who just didn't have the look that happened to be in style.

Fiction book (1993)
The Bundeswehr continues to face major challenges in legitimizing and maintaining a modern and credible military force in a society that is ultrasensitive to all things military and in which many citizens place an absolute value on peace.

Academic text (1990)
After the criticism, he became even more ultrasensitive to the opinions of his peers.

Synonyms

emotional

vsultrasensitive

535 2.1

Showing strong feelings that are easy to see

is more intensely hurt or offended by remarks than merely showing feelings

touchy

vsultrasensitive

33 4.9

A person who gets upset by small comments

is more extremely affected emotionally by small critical remarks

prickly

vsultrasensitive

13 5.7

Quick to get angry or upset by small things

is more strongly hurt or offended by personal comments

thin-skinned

vsultrasensitive

10 6.1

Feel upset easily when people criticize

is even more easily upset or offended by small remarks

oversensitive

vsultrasensitive

7 5.6

Easily upset by what others say or do

is even more easily upset or emotionally affected by remarks

hypersensitive

vsultrasensitive

6 6.7

Easily affected by emotions, touch, or noise and reacting strongly

is focused on extreme upset from social remarks rather than broad triggers

overemotional

vsultrasensitive

3 5.0

Showing too much feeling for the situation

is even more sensitive to words and more easily offended

supersensitive

vsultrasensitive

Specialized

1 7.3

To react strongly to small amounts of things like pollen or food, often causing allergies

is about emotional hurt from remarks, not reactions to physical factors

overreactive

vsultrasensitive

1 6.3

Show too strong feelings or actions for small problems

is more sensitive to emotional remarks rather than general strong responses

chinny

vsultrasensitive

1 9.9

Easily upset or hurt by small harmless remarks

is more extremely upset by any remarks, not only tiny ones

tetchy

vsultrasensitive

1 8.1

Being easily annoyed by small things

is more emotionally fragile and hurt by words rather than annoyed

splenitive

vsultrasensitive

Archaic

1 9.9

Quick to become angry or take offense

is more easily hurt or emotionally affected than merely angered

hyperemotional

vsultrasensitive

1 7.9

Showing very strong feelings that change quickly and seem too much

is more prone to being deeply hurt by remarks than mere intensity

hypersensitized

vsultrasensitive

Specialized

1 8.6

Very sensitive to a substance or trigger after earlier exposure

is concerned with emotional reactions to remarks rather than medical causes

offendable

vsultrasensitive

7.5

Easily upset by things people say or do

is emotionally affected to a greater and more intense degree

umbrageous

vsultrasensitive

9.9

Quick to feel offended and show anger

is more likely to be hurt rather than to show anger

hyperexcitable

vsultrasensitive

8.1

Easily excited and likely to react strongly to small sounds or activity

is more likely to be upset by remarks rather than just excited

overexcitable

vsultrasensitive

6.2

To become easily excited and react strongly to small things

is more prone to hurt or offence from words rather than agitation

hyperreactive

vsultrasensitive

Specialized

8.2

Showing a very strong reaction to things like pollen or stress

is more easily offended by remarks rather than only reacting strongly

supersensitized

vsultrasensitive

Literature

9.1

Very sensitive to things like allergens or medicines

is about quick emotional upset from social words rather than bodily reactions

Antonyms

unemotional

11 4.4

Not showing strong feelings

How Sensitive

ultrasensitive

6.3

oversensitive

7 5.6

touchy

33 4.9

sensitive

1 4.4

stoic

1 6.3

Surface Forms

ultrasensitive positive

Morphology

ultrasensitive = sensitive (transparent) = ultra + sense + itive

The meaning is a direct intensification of 'sensitive' by the prefix 'ultra-'.

Etymology

Ultrasensitive is made from ultra- meaning 'beyond' or 'extremely' and sensitive meaning 'easily hurt or upset'. So, it describes a person whose feelings are 'beyond' the usual and who is quickly upset by words or small events.