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Definitions

desensitize

[dee-sen-si-tahyz] / diˈsɛn sɪˌtaɪz /


Example Sentences

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“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

Riding in the open air is better than not being in the open air at all, but it does not compare in its power to desensitize people with active exercise in the open air.

From Health Through Will Power by James J. (James Joseph) Walsh

“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

The rap against video games is that the artificial violence they permit us desensitizes us to real violence.

From Slate ● Nov. 30, 2016

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

Wehniainen speculated that a difficult job market may have left candidates desensitized to interview rituals and discouraged about their chances.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

At the same time, buyers are “becoming increasingly desensitized to these discounts,” Ali Wolf, chief economist at NewHomeSource and Zonda, said in a statement.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026

Investors have become desensitized to risk as the 2008-09 financial crisis fades from memory, Block believes.

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2025

“It’s just so widespread that we’re all desensitized to it.”

From Salon ● Jul. 29, 2025

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

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste

Saturating audiences with doomsday stories risks desensitizing them, Nelson warned.

From Slate ● Mar. 13, 2026

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

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




Vocabulary lists containing desensitize


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