Dendrimers are highly branched supramolecular structures having high functional group density at nanoscale dimensions. Their defined size, globular shape, choice of composition, generation number, and terminal groups, and the possibility to introduce several functional groups at the periphery make them suitable for a variety of applications including sensors. Due to their unique combination of physicochemical, structural, and dendritic properties, these supramolecules have shown their potential as linker, reporter, amplifier, and receptor as well as transducer for sensor design. The integration of dendrimers with sensors has significantly improved their performance in terms of sensitivity, specificity, signal-to-noise ratio, regenerability, and ease of conjugation of receptor elements. This article discusses the characteristics of dendrimers that are essentially useful for sensor applications. A comparison of dendrimers with conventionally used materials has also been highlighted. Some important applications of dendrimers in various sensors along with their multifunctional capability have also been elaborated in detail. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.