emotional sensitivity
Easily moved heart
Emotional sensitivity is heightened responsiveness to feelings—one's own or others'.
The term can be neutral or positive, describing someone attuned to emotional nuance: Her emotional sensitivity made her an excellent therapist.
It can also suggest vulnerability or fragility: His emotional sensitivity meant criticism hit him hard.
Context determines whether the trait is presented as a gift or a burden.
- thin-skinnedEasily hurt by remarks
- empathySharing another's emotions
- compassionConcern for others' distress
- soft heartCompassionate, sympathetic nature
- self-awarenessInsight into one's psyche
emotional intelligence · introspection · emotional contagion · mood swings · porous · emotional regulation · mindfulness · touch · attunement · tears · active listening · walking on eggshells · irritability · rawness · raw nerve · inner dialogue · ache · feelings
- adolescencepuberty, teenager, coming-of-age, growing up, teen
- sensitivityhypersensitivity, oversensitivity, hypersensitive, sensitization, oversensitive
- hormonal symptomsmood swings, bloating, hot flashes, cramps, weight gain
- sensitivitiesallergies, food allergies, latex allergy, nickel allergy, hay fever
- vulnerabilityvulnerability, vulnerable, defenselessness, defenseless, helplessness
- hormonesestrogen, testosterone, insulin, hormone, cortisol
emotional sensitivityemotional numbness
Absence of felt affect
numbness · apathy · thick skin · thick-skinned · unfeelingness
emotional sensitivitythick-skinned
Resistant to criticism
thick skin · resilience · hardiness · toughness · emotional resilience
emotional sensitivityobliviousness
Lack of awareness
insensitivity · tone-deafness · lack of empathy · unawareness · cluelessness
emotion, sensitive, sensation, sensitivity, sentiment, emotive