DESENSITISE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does desensitise mean? 

• DESENSITISE (verb)
  The verb DESENSITISE has 2 senses:

1. cause not to be sensitive

2. make insensitive

  Familiarity information: DESENSITISE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DESENSITISE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they desensitise    ... he / she / it desensitises   
Past simple: desensitised   
Past participle: desensitised   
-ing form: desensitising   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Cause not to be sensitive

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

desensitise; desensitize

Context example:

The photographic plate was desensitized

Hypernyms (to "desensitise" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "desensitise"):

benumb; blunt; dull; numb (make numb or insensitive)

bedaze; daze; stun (overcome as with astonishment or disbelief)

besot; stupefy (make dull or stupid or muddle with drunkenness or infatuation)

deaf; deafen (make or render deaf)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Antonym:

sensitise (cause to sense; make sensitive)

Derivation:

desensitisation (the process of reducing sensitivity)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make insensitive

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

desensitise; desensitize

Context example:

His military training desensitized him

Hypernyms (to "desensitise" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody PP

Derivation:

desensitisation (the process of reducing sensitivity)