anesthetize

verb

anes·​the·​tize ə-ˈnes-thə-ˌtīz 

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

Once the ray is anesthetized, an aquarist gets into the water with the ray to make sure that water is flowing over their gills and to keep the ray in position during his exam. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 Dec. 2025

Travelling for the holidays is often hectic, carbon-intensive, and anesthetizing. —The New Yorker, New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2025

Finally, the Federal Reserve, starting under then-Chairman Alan Greenspan in 1987, learned how to anesthetize the political pain of budget deficits by keeping interest rates artificially low and monetizing debt. —Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 30 Oct. 2025

Jean-Claude Gandon, who was age 70 at the time, is believed to be the only one of the 30 victims who was directly anesthetized by Péchier, Le Monde reported. —Becca Longmire, People.com, 8 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for anesthetize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize

Kids Definition

anesthetize

verb

anes·​the·​tize ə-ˈnes-thə-ˌtīz 

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

-thə-ˌtīz 

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-