desensitize
[dɪˈsɛnsɪtaɪz]
An English word "desensitize" means making someone less sensitive or numb to something that would normally affect them.
You might hear people talk about being desensitized by their daily lives. For example, a news anchor who covers violent stories every day might become desensitized to the details of each crime scene - it's not that they don't care anymore, but they're just used to seeing and hearing these types of things so often now. This is a common way the word is used in everyday conversation.
How common is "desensitize"?
Word desensitize is considered rare in modern English.
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.
Definitions
verb
To cause to become less sensitive or insensitive.
Example: Working in an Operating Room desensitized me to the sight of blood.
Real examples of "desensitized" in context
