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desensitize
(redirected from desensitizes)

   Also found in: Medical 0.01 sec.
de·sen·si·tize  (d-sns-tz)
tr.v. de·sen·si·tized, de·sen·si·tiz·ing, de·sen·si·tiz·es
1. To render insensitive or less sensitive.
2. Immunology To make (an individual) nonreactive or insensitive to an antigen.
3. To make emotionally insensitive or unresponsive, as by long exposure or repeated shocks: "This movie in effect may resensitize people who thought they were desensitized to violence" (Steven Spielberg).
4. To make (a photographic film or substance) less sensitive to light.

de·sensi·ti·zation (-t-zshn) n.
de·sensi·tizer n.

desensitize, desensitise [diːˈsɛnsɪˌtaɪz]
vb (tr)
1. (Medicine) (Miscellaneous Technologies / Photography) to render insensitive or less sensitive the patient was desensitized to the allergen to desensitize photographic film
2. (Psychology) 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
desensitization , desensitisation n
desensitizer , desensitiser n
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Verb1.desensitize - cause not to be sensitive; "The war desensitized many soldiers"; "The photographic plate was desensitized"
alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue"
benumb, numb, blunt, dull - make numb or insensitive; "The shock numbed her senses"
bedaze, daze, stun - overcome as with astonishment or disbelief; "The news stunned her"
besot, stupefy - make dull or stupid or muddle with drunkenness or infatuation
deaf, deafen - make or render deaf; "a deafening noise"
sensitise, sensitize - cause to sense; make sensitive; "She sensitized me with respect to gender differences in this traditional male-dominated society"; "My tongue became sensitized to good wine"
2.desensitize - make insensitive; "His military training desensitized him"
alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue"
sensibilise, sensibilize, sensify, sensitize, sensitise - make sensitive or aware; "He was not sensitized to her emotional needs"
Translations
desensitize [diːˈsensɪtaɪz] VTinsensibilizar (Phot) → hacer insensible a la luz
desensitize
vt (Phot) → lichtunempfindlich machen; (Med) → desensibilisieren; to become desensitized to something (fig)einer Sache (dat)gegenüber abstumpfen
desensitize [diːˈsɛnsɪˌtaɪz] vtdesensibilizzare
desensitize [diːˈsɛnsɪˌtaɪz] vtdesensibilizzare


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