Standard Lemma guide

desensitize

verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /diːˈsɛnsɪtaɪz/
  • General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /-ətaɪz/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH0 S EH1 N S AH0 T AY2 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To reduce or eliminate the sensitivity of (someone) or in (something); to become insensitive.

To render (someone) emotionally or sensationally less responsive or irresponsive, as by long or repeated exposure to something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ambitransitive

Examples

  • Working in an Operating Room desensitized me to the sight of blood.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: deaden, benumb, stupefy

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To reduce or eliminate the sensitivity of (someone) or in (something); to become insensitive.

To render (a person or animal) nonreactive or insensitive to an allergen.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ambitransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To reduce or eliminate the sensitivity of (someone) or in (something); to become insensitive.

To render (a photographic plate or film) less sensitive or insensitive to actinic rays of light.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ambitransitive

Topics: arts, hobbies, lifestyle, photography

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To reduce or eliminate the sensitivity of (someone) or in (something); to become insensitive.

To free (someone) from the emotional charge of a neurosis or complex.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ambitransitive

Topics: human-sciences, medicine, psychiatry, psychology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To reduce or eliminate the sensitivity of (someone) or in (something); to become insensitive.

To make non-image portions of (a lithographic stone or plate) repellent to ink.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ambitransitive

Topics: media, printing, publishing

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

make insensitive

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • His military training desensitized him

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: desensitise

Antonyms: sensitize

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

7

verb

Meaning 7

cause not to be sensitive

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The war desensitized many soldiers
  • The photographic plate was desensitized

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: desensitise

Antonyms: sensitize

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

Narrower terms: numb, benumb, blunt, dull, stun, bedaze, daze, besot, stupefy, deafen, deaf

History

Etymology

From de- (“not, do the opposite of, undo”) + sensitize. First attested in the 1900s.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: insensibilitzar — render emotionally less sensitive or insensitive (to something)
  • Finnish: turruttaa — render emotionally less sensitive or insensitive (to something)
  • Finnish: totuttaa — render emotionally less sensitive or insensitive (to something)
  • Finnish: tehdä tunnottomaksi — render emotionally less sensitive or insensitive (to something)
  • Finnish: valottaa — render emotionally less sensitive or insensitive (to something)
  • Finnish: siedättää (to an allergenic) — render emotionally less sensitive or insensitive (to something)
  • French: désensibiliser — render emotionally less sensitive or insensitive (to something)
  • German: desensibilisieren — render emotionally less sensitive or insensitive (to something)
  • German: abstumpfen — render emotionally less sensitive or insensitive (to something)
  • Norwegian: desensitivisere — render emotionally less sensitive or insensitive (to something)
  • Portuguese: dessensibilizar — render emotionally less sensitive or insensitive (to something)
  • Portuguese: insensibilizar — render emotionally less sensitive or insensitive (to something)
  • Romanian: desensibiliza — render emotionally less sensitive or insensitive (to something)
  • Russian: огрубить (ogrubitʹ) — render emotionally less sensitive or insensitive (to something)
  • Russian: огрублять (ogrubljatʹ) — render emotionally less sensitive or insensitive (to something)
  • Russian: охладеть (oxladetʹ) — render emotionally less sensitive or insensitive (to something)
  • Spanish: desensibilizar — render emotionally less sensitive or insensitive (to something)
  • Spanish: insensibilizar — render emotionally less sensitive or insensitive (to something)
  • Swedish: avtrubba — render emotionally less sensitive or insensitive (to something)