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sense · noun /sens/Full view
Nouns: sense, nonsense, sensibility, sensitivity, insensitivity
Adjectives: sensible, senseless, sensitive, insensitive, nonsensical
Verbs: sense
Adverbs: sensibly, sensitively, insensitively
sense (FEELING)
B1 no plural a feeling or understanding about yourself or about a situation
Dictionary examples:

Did you get any sense of what they might do?

Living out in the country gave us a great sense of freedom.

Learner example:

I like to see how people fight for the pri[z]e. I like this sense of compet[it]ion that only sport[s] give! (Preliminary English Test; B1; Russian)

a sense of humor
B1 the ability to understand funny things and to be funny yourself
Dictionary example:

Carol has a wicked sense of humor.

Learner example:

She is a very nice person with a very good sense of humor and moral values. (Preliminary English Test; B1; Spanish)

sense (GOOD JUDGMENT)
B2 U good judgment, especially about practical things
Dictionary examples:

I hope they'll have the (good) sense/have enough sense to shut the windows before they leave.

There's no sense in waiting - the next train isn't for two hours.

Learner example:

People should have the sense to dispose [of] all the waste properly. (International English Language Testing System; B2; Tamil)

sense (ABILITY)
B2 no plural the ability to do something
Dictionary examples:

He's got a good sense of direction and hardly ever uses a map.

good business sense

Learner example:

Animals are part of nature so they must be free [to] go where their sense of direction [leads them]. (First Certificate in English; B2; Portuguese)

sense (NATURAL ABILITY)
B2 C one of the five natural abilities of sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste
Dictionary example:

My cold is so bad I've lost my sense of smell/taste.

Learner example:

You can enjoy a flight with all your five senses. (First Certificate in English; B2; Swiss German)

make sense
B2 to have a meaning or reason that you can understand
Dictionary example:

He's written me this note but it doesn't make any sense.

Learner example:

Eighty kilometres in the mountains just to [look at] views doesn't make any sense to me. (First Certificate in English; B2; Polish)

make sense
B2 to be a good thing to do
Dictionary example:

It makes sense to buy now while prices are low.

Learner example:

Therefore it make[s] sense to use the innovation[s]. (First Certificate in English; B2; German)

sense (MEANING)
B2 C one of the possible meanings of a word or phrase
Dictionary examples:

They are not immigrants, at least not in any sense that I understand.

The packaging is green - in both senses of the word.

Security defined in the broad/broadest sense of the term means getting at the root causes of trouble and helping to reduce problems.

Learner example:

The Empress was an ideal lady in every sense of the word. (First Certificate in English; B2; Japanese)

in a sense
C1 thinking about something in a particular way
Dictionary example:

In a sense, he's right.

Learner example:

In a sense this is correct, since you have to leave your natural environment to visit a place where no human being is meant to survive. (Certificate in Advanced English; C1; Greek)

make sense of sth
C2 to understand something that is difficult to understand
Dictionary example:

I'm trying to make sense of this document.

Learner example:

In fact, it's during his journey that Stevens begins to make sense of his life, of all the years he spent as a butler, as the "perfect butler" who had to be loyal, silent and discreet. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Italian)

see sense
C2 to realize you are wrong or have been behaving stupidly
Dictionary example:

We talked to her for an hour, but we couldn't make her see sense.

Learner example:

Ralph tries to make Jack see sense by showing him the conch which had been the symbol of leadership and also, friendship. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Spanish)

sense · verb T /sens/
Nouns: sense, nonsense, sensibility, sensitivity, insensitivity
Adjectives: sensible, senseless, sensitive, insensitive, nonsensical
Verbs: sense
Adverbs: sensibly, sensitively, insensitively
sense
C2 to feel or experience something without being able to explain exactly how
Dictionary examples:

Although she said nothing, I could sense her anger.

He sensed something was about to happen.

He sensed (that) his guests were bored, although they were listening politely.

Could you sense what was likely to happen?

Learner example:

By that time the widow could not walk and the widower could not see. When the widower sensed that the widow badly wanted to go, the widow clung on[to] the widower's back and [they] set off, [with her] telling him where to go. (First Certificate in English; B2; Korean)

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