oversensitivity
Too easily hurt
Oversensitivity is excessive responsiveness to stimuli, criticism, or emotional triggers.
Someone with oversensitivity to criticism takes offense at mild feedback.
The term often carries a dismissive edge—accusing someone of oversensitivity implies they should toughen up: His oversensitivity to jokes made him difficult to be around.
Can also describe physical reactions: oversensitivity to light.
Easily upset or offended
- thin-skinnedEasily hurt by remarks
- easily offendedProne to taking umbrage
- reactiveTending to respond
- irritableEasily provoked to annoyance
defensive · insecure · fragile · vulnerable · overreaction · taking offense · hurt feelings · hypersensitive
Judgment of faults
- feedbackReturned response data
- rejectionDenial of acceptance
- misinterpretationIncorrect understanding of meaning
- overanalysisExcessive detailed examination
reading into · paranoid · suspicious · confrontational · eggshells · high-maintenance · difficult · needy
Evoking a response
- noiseUnwanted auditory disturbance
- lightVisible electromagnetic radiation
- textureSurface tactile quality
- smellOlfactory perception
taste · overwhelm · startle · flinch · overstimulation · hypersensitivity · threshold · discomfort
Adverse immune responses
- histamineAllergy-response compound
- anaphylaxisSevere systemic allergic reaction
- hivesRaised itchy skin reaction
- swellingAbnormal tissue enlargement
itching · redness · eczema · asthma · intolerance · immunoglobulin · antihistamine · epinephrine
touchy
Easily upset or offended
- thin-skinnedEasily hurt by remarks
- easily offendedProne to taking umbrage
- reactiveTending to respond
irritable · defensive · insecure · fragile · vulnerable · overreaction · taking offense · hurt feelings · hypersensitive · prickly
criticism
Judgment of faults
- feedbackReturned response data
- rejectionDenial of acceptance
- misinterpretationIncorrect understanding of meaning
overanalysis · reading into · paranoid · suspicious · confrontational · eggshells · high-maintenance · difficult · needy · approval-seeking
stimulation
Evoking a response
- noiseUnwanted auditory disturbance
- lightVisible electromagnetic radiation
- textureSurface tactile quality
smell · taste · overwhelm · startle · flinch · overstimulation · hypersensitivity · threshold · discomfort · agitation
allergies
Adverse immune responses
- histamineAllergy-response compound
- anaphylaxisSevere systemic allergic reaction
- hivesRaised itchy skin reaction
swelling · itching · redness · eczema · asthma · intolerance · immunoglobulin · antihistamine · epinephrine · inflammation
- sensitivityhypersensitivity, hypersensitive, sensitization, desensitization, touchiness
- angeranger, rage, fury, wrath, ire
- excessexcess, too much, excessive, excessiveness, overabundance
- emotional volatilitymood swings, lability, volatility, dysregulation, ups and downs
oversensitivityinsensitivity
Lack of emotional awareness
callousness · stoicism · indifference · apathy · impassivity
oversensitivitythick skin
Immunity to criticism
imperviousness · invulnerability · robustness · toughness · resistance
oversensitivitythick skin
Immunity to criticism
toughness · resilience · robustness · hardiness · unflappability
sensitive, sensation, sensible, sensitivity, insensitive, sensor, sensory, sensibly, sensibility