desensitize
verb /diːˈsensətaɪz/
/diːˈsensətaɪz/
(British English also desensitise)
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they desensitize | /diːˈsensətaɪz/ /diːˈsensətaɪz/ |
| he / she / it desensitizes | /diːˈsensətaɪzɪz/ /diːˈsensətaɪzɪz/ |
| past simple desensitized | /diːˈsensətaɪzd/ /diːˈsensətaɪzd/ |
| past participle desensitized | /diːˈsensətaɪzd/ /diːˈsensətaɪzd/ |
| -ing form desensitizing | /diːˈsensətaɪzɪŋ/ /diːˈsensətaɪzɪŋ/ |
- [usually passive] to make somebody/something less aware of something as a problem by making them become used to it
- be/become desensitized (to something) People are increasingly becoming desensitized to violence on television.
- Doctors and medical researchers have to become desensitised in order to do their jobs.
- desensitize somebody/something (specialist) to treat somebody/something so that they will stop being sensitive to physical or chemical changes, or to a particular substance
- There is no effective serum to desensitize people who are allergic to fleas.