Censor is about removing or blocking content, as in "the app censors profanity". A sensor is a device that detects something, as in "a motion sensor". Sensor links to sense; censor links to cutting things out.
The core difference
To censor is to remove or block unsuitable content, while a sensor is a device that detects a physical change or signal.
- censor — a person who reviews media, or to remove content judged unsuitable: The film was cut by government censors before release.
- sensor — a device that detects a change and reports on it: The motion sensor turns the lights on automatically.
How to tell them apart
The two words are near-identical in sound, so you have to choose by meaning. If you are talking about gadgets, measurement or detecting something, you want sensor. If you are talking about blocking or editing out what people can read or see, you want censor.
Memory trick: sensor starts with "sens", like sense, because it senses things. A censor is the one who cuts content out. The mix-up often appears in tech writing, such as camera and app features.
