cau·ter·ize
ˈkȯ-tə-ˌrīz 
cauterized; cauterizing
1
: to sear with a cautery or caustic
cauterize a wound
2
: to make insensible : deaden
They will do anything to stay in office; their consciences have been cauterized.
cau·ter·i·za·tion
ˌkȯ-tə-rə-ˈzā-shən
-ˌrī-ˈzā-
plural -s
1
: the act of searing abnormal or injured tissue by a cautery
2
: the effect of cauterization
Examples of cauterize in a Sentence
Verb
The doctors cauterized the wound.
time had cauterized his bitterness, and he was willing to let bygones be bygones
Recent Examples on the Web
Jared Weiss, New York Times, 10 June 2026
In the real world, many countries in Latin America still await solutions that, like Iolaus’ method, help cauterize the wounds and end the expansion of organized crime.
—Sol Amaya, CNN Money, 17 Mar. 2026
Altruism had drawn Welsh to medicine, but research, searching for a cure, had been the only salve that cauterized his bleeding heart.
—Courtney Crowder, Des Moines Register, 15 Mar. 2026
Department of Justice For years, the Firm, as the royal family is sometimes known, has attempted to cauterize the wound created by the Epstein scandal, taking steps to admonish Mountbatten-Windsor as more details about his relationship with Epstein emerged.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cauterize
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Verb
Wembanyama has always looked to cauterize weaknesses before accentuating strengths.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 10 June 2026
In the real world, many countries in Latin America still await solutions that, like Iolaus’ method, help cauterize the wounds and end the expansion of organized crime.
—Sol Amaya, CNN Money, 17 Mar. 2026
Altruism had drawn Welsh to medicine, but research, searching for a cure, had been the only salve that cauterized his bleeding heart.
—Courtney Crowder, Des Moines Register, 15 Mar. 2026
Department of Justice For years, the Firm, as the royal family is sometimes known, has attempted to cauterize the wound created by the Epstein scandal, taking steps to admonish Mountbatten-Windsor as more details about his relationship with Epstein emerged.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cauterize
Cite this Entry
“Cauterize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cauterize. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cauterize
verb
cau·ter·ize
ˈkȯt-ə-ˌrīz
cauterized; cauterizing
: to burn with a hot iron or a chemical substance usually to destroy infected tissue
cauterize a wound
Medical Definition
cauterize
transitive verb
cau·ter·ize
variants
or British cauterise
cauterized or British cauterised; cauterizing or British cauterising
: to sear with a cautery or caustic
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