anesthetize

verb

anes·​the·​tize ə-ˈnes-thə-ˌtīz How to pronounce anesthetize (audio)
 British  -ˈnēs-
anesthetized; anesthetizing

transitive verb

: to subject to anesthesia

Examples of anesthetize in a Sentence

The doctor anesthetized the patient by an intravenous injection. She was anesthetized before the operation.
Recent Examples on the Web But my suppressed side, anesthetized every night by red wine, always woke me at 3 a.m. Chloe Bottero, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2024 Procedure witnessed by visitors: Report Ploog said Thibodaux was anesthetized and intubated as officials removed the coins. USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2024 He was anesthetized, his skull was cut open, and his brain began to move. Dan Rockmore, The New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2024 Such was the case in an episode in which Selma floated around in lotus land after being anesthetized for minor surgery. Gail Williams, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Jan. 2024 Those videos frequently included patients who had just undergone surgery, still anesthetized and unconscious on the operating table, their breasts and buttocks often blurred or thinly covered. Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2023 In the past, scientists have anesthetized animals and either inflated balloons in their stomachs or infused their stomachs with food to tangentially study the eating process, according to Science’s Catherine Offord. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Dec. 2023 The Casino star recalled experiencing a seizure after getting anesthetized for a root canal. Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 12 Nov. 2023 Reckoning with compounding climate crises, escalating economic pressures and broader global turns toward bigotry and fascism can have an anesthetizing effect on the body and mind. Jenna Wortham, New York Times, 27 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'anesthetize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of anesthetize was in 1848

Dictionary Entries Near anesthetize

Cite this Entry

“Anesthetize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anesthetize. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

anesthetize

verb
anes·​the·​tize ə-ˈnes-thə-ˌtīz How to pronounce anesthetize (audio)
anesthetized; anesthetizing
: to make insensible to pain especially by the use of an anesthetic

Medical Definition

anesthetize

transitive verb
anes·​the·​tize
variants or chiefly British anaesthetize also anaesthetise
anesthetized or chiefly British anesthetized also anesthetised; anesthetizing or chiefly British anesthetizing also anesthetising
: to subject to anesthesia
anesthetization noun
or chiefly British anaesthetization also anaesthetisation
ə-ˌnes-thət-ə-ˈzā-shən, British -ˌnēs-

More from Merriam-Webster on anesthetize

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