SENSITIZE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does sensitize mean? 

• SENSITIZE (verb)
  The verb SENSITIZE has 4 senses:

1. make sensitive or aware

2. cause to sense; make sensitive

3. make sensitive to a drug or allergen

4. make (a material) sensitive to light, often of a particular colour, by coating it with a photographic emulsion

  Familiarity information: SENSITIZE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SENSITIZE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they sensitize    ... he / she / it sensitizes   
Past simple: sensitized   
Past participle: sensitized   
-ing form: sensitizing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make sensitive or aware

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

sensibilise; sensibilize; sensify; sensitise; sensitize

Context example:

He was not sensitized to her emotional needs

Hypernyms (to "sensitize" 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

Antonym:

desensitize (make insensitive)

Derivation:

sensitization ((psychology) the process of becoming highly sensitive to specific events or situations (especially emotional events or situations))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Cause to sense; make sensitive

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

sensitise; sensitize

Context example:

My tongue became sensitized to good wine

Cause:

feel; sense (perceive by a physical sensation, e.g., coming from the skin or muscles)

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

photosensitise; photosensitize (make (an organism or substance) sensitive to the influence of radiant energy and especially light)

excite; stimulate; stir (stir feelings in)

Sentence frames:

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

Antonym:

desensitize (cause not to be sensitive)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make sensitive to a drug or allergen

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

sensitise; sensitize

Context example:

Long-term exposure to this medicine may sensitize you to the allergen

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

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

Sentence frames:

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

Derivation:

sensitization (rendering an organism sensitive to a serum by a series of injections)

sensitizer ((chemistry) a substance other than a catalyst that facilitates the start of a catalytic reaction)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Make (a material) sensitive to light, often of a particular colour, by coating it with a photographic emulsion

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

sensitise; sensitize

Context example:

sensitize the photographic film

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

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

Domain category:

photography; picture taking (the act of taking and printing photographs)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

The study of those manifestations of the immune system which are mediated by antigen-sensitized T-lymphocytes.

(Cellular Immunology, NCI Thesaurus)

Any agent within the glitazar class that are dual or pan-acting peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) agonists with insulin sensitizing and lipid lowering activity.

(Glitazar Antidiabetic Agent, NCI Thesaurus)

A population of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells isolated from a cancer patient that have been sensitized in vitro to the melanoma-associated antigen gp100.

(gp100 Peptide-sensitized Autologous T-cells (CD4+ and CD8+), NCI Thesaurus)

A synthetic analogue of camptothecin with potential antineoplastic and radio-sensitizing activities.

(Camptothecin Analogue TLC388, NCI Thesaurus)

This agent also induces antioxidant enzymes through AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation, inhibits NF-kB activation and decreases inflammation response, thereby sensitizing tumors to chemotherapy.

(Crystalline Genistein Formulation AXP107-11, NCI Thesaurus)

In addition, ginsenoside Rg3 may be able to sensitize cancer cells to some chemotherapeutic agents.

(Ginsenoside Rg3 Capsule, NCI Thesaurus)

A molecular genetic abnormality indicating the presence of a sensitizing mutation in the epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor domain.

(EGFR-TKI Sensitizing Mutation, NCI Thesaurus)

Docetaxel has been studied for use as a radiation-sensitizing agent.

(Docetaxel, NCI Thesaurus)

The sensitive strain, HFSF/N, was subsequently found to have the Fv1b allele, which sensitizes the mice to B strain Friend Leukemia virus.

(FVB/N Mouse, NCI Thesaurus)

They also found that a tick — the Lone Star tick — sensitizes people to this allergen when it bites them.

(Researchers have found a link between allergen in red meat and heart disease, National Institutes of Health)