The invention discloses a sensitivity-based method to recognize overall damage of a bridge; the method comprises the steps of 1, calculating a cross-correlation function of a node between healthy-state response and actual response; 2, giving a damage factor and simulating response of the node of a bridge structure; 3, calculating a cross-correlation function of the node between the simulated response and the healthy-state response and its sensitivity; 4, constructing a sensitivity formula to solve damage factor increment; 5, judging whether convergence occurs; if not, correcting the damage factor, and repeating the steps 2 to 4; 6, if yes, ending iteration to obtain a damage vector of the bridge structure. The method of the invention has the advantages that damage recognition is performedon the bridge structure, a complete sensitivity-based damage recognition process is established, monitoring data are analyzed directly, information loss during data processing is decreased, and the monitoring data is worthier of practical application.