desensitize

American  

[dee-sen-si-tahyz] / diˈsɛn sɪˌtaɪz /

especially British, desensitise

verb (used with object)

• desensitizes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• desensitized,
  past participle,  past
• desensitizing
  present participle

1. to lessen the sensitiveness of.

2. to make indifferent, unaware, or the like, in feeling.

3. Photography. to make less sensitive or wholly insensitive to light, as the emulsion on a film.

4. Printing. to treat (the design on a lithographic plate) with an etch in order to increase the capacity to retain moisture, and to remove traces of grease.

5. Chemistry. to reduce the sensitivity of (an explosive) to those stimuli capable of detonating it.

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desensitize British  

/ diːˈsɛnsɪˌtaɪz /

verb

1. to render insensitive or less sensitive

   the patient was desensitized to the allergen

   to desensitize photographic film

2. psychol to decrease the abnormal fear in (a person) of a situation or object, by exposing him to it either in reality or in his imagination

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• desensitization
  noun
• desensitizer
  noun

Inflected Forms

Participles

• desensitizing
  present
• desensitized
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• desensitize
  simple
• desensitizes
  simple
• have desensitized
  perfect
• has desensitized
  perfect
• am desensitizing
  progressive
• are desensitizing
  progressive
• is desensitizing
  progressive
• have been desensitizing
  perfect progressive
• has been desensitizing
  perfect progressive

Past

• desensitized
  simple
• had desensitized
  perfect
• was desensitizing
  progressive
• were desensitizing
  progressive
• had been desensitizing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will desensitize
  simple
• will have desensitized
  perfect
• will be desensitizing
  progressive
• will have been desensitizing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of desensitize

First recorded in 1900–05; de- + sensitize

Explanation

To desensitize is to make less sensitive, or less easily upset. Some people say that watching scary movies desensitizes kids to violence. A shot of novocaine desensitizes you to the pain of having a cavity drilled by your dentist, and lots of spicy food can desensitize you to more subtle flavors. In both cases, you become less perceptive, or less affected by a sensation or taste. Witnessing violence can likewise desensitize soldiers or war reporters. The word originally referred to photographic development, from de-, "do the opposite of," and sensitize, with its Latin root sentire, "feel or perceive."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

desensitize desensitizes desensitized desensitizing

“One of the things that we teach them to do is to massage that over repeatedly throughout the day, to desensitize it,” April says.

From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2024

"If we can increase levels of GDF15 before someone becomes pregnant, that might desensitize them, similar to how we try to desensitize people to allergens who have severe allergies," says Fejzo.

From Science Daily ● May 22, 2024

The pretreatment seemed to desensitize the animals to the hormone’s effects later on.

From Science Magazine ● Dec. 13, 2023

“The perpetrators of this crime do so in the hope that it will harass and intimidate Jewish families, radicalize others, or desensitize some to the messaging,” the motion adds.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 28, 2023

Then the treatment will desensitize it sufficiently and I can work on it without hurting you at all.'

From Cape Cod and All the Pilgrim Land, June 1922, Volume 6, Number 4 A Monthly Magazine Devoted to the Interests of Southeastern Massachusetts by Various

“We hear stuff like this all the time. It just desensitizes you to there being an actual threat, knock on wood.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 13, 2026

“It desensitizes you to handcuffs, to steel, to concrete, to cold, to institutions,” said Roybal, now 38 and a physical therapist.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 10, 2023

In addition to killing cavity-causing bacteria, the treatment hardens tooth structure, desensitizes the tooth and even stops new cavities from forming.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 11, 2020

Regional anesthesia desensitizes a large section of someone’s body by injecting drugs into the spine that block nerve signals to the brain.

From Salon ● Mar. 20, 2014

Nadeau desensitizes allergic kids to allergens through exposure.

From Slate ● Mar. 11, 2013

He explains how he believes Alcaraz’s tragic death likely came to be and how officers have become desensitized to issues afflicting America’s prisons.

From Slate ● Aug. 13, 2026

I hear this narrative a lot, like, people are so plugged into social media and desensitized to violence that we just don’t care about anyone else anymore.

From Salon ● Jun. 15, 2026

Reactions to other recent reports have been muted as well, with investors seemingly desensitized to Nvidia’s big numbers.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 23, 2026

Or maybe, through repeated exposure, Americans have been desensitized to the burden that unnecessary complexity imposes on us.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 12, 2026

“You need to get desensitized to the hugging,” Aaron said.

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste

Skylar King, who’s performing at the show, said she had a week of long conversations with her fellow performers on how to joke about climate change without desensitizing people to the seriousness of the topic.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2024

By contrast, home therapy has lower time demands and less pain and risk — while still desensitizing the immune system by repeated exposures to the allergen.

From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2023

Trainers begin by desensitizing the chimps to the sound, doling out bananas, Cheerios or other treats as it plays.

From New York Times ● Aug. 8, 2023

It works by desensitizing the nerves in the skin that transmit an itch sensation.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 7, 2023

But this morning I noticed a real improvement when I went through the massage and desensitizing routine.

From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen

Related Words

• deaden