desensitise
desensitise is the alternative spelling of desensitize.
Meaning of desensitize
Verb
desensitize (third-person singular simple present desensitizes, present participle desensitizing, simple past and past participle desensitized)
- To render (someone) emotionally or sensationally less responsive or irresponsive, as by long or repeated exposure to something.
- Working in an Operating Room desensitized me to the sight of blood.
- To render (a person or animal) nonreactive or insensitive to an allergen.
- To render (a photographic plate or film) less sensitive or insensitive to actinic rays of light.
- To free (someone) from the emotional charge of a neurosis or complex.
- To make non-image portions of (a lithographic stone or plate) repellent to ink.
Forms of desensitise
| third-person singular present | desensitises |
|---|---|
| present participle | desensitising |
| past participle | desensitised |
| past | desensitised |
Origin of desensitise
From de- + sensitise.
Words formed from desensitise
Questions about desensitise
- What is desensitise the alternative spelling of?
- Desensitise is the alternative spelling of desensitize.
Words near desensitise in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: desensitise (page history and authors); desensitize (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
Last updated:
Cite this entry: “desensitise.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/desensitise. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
