variants
also British sensitise
sensitizes; sensitized; sensitizing
: to make (someone or something) sensitive or more sensitive: such as
a
: to make (someone) more aware of something
—usually + to
The program is intended to sensitize students to the dangers of drug use.
b
medical
: to cause (someone) to become sensitive to a substance and to react to it in a bad way
—usually + to —usually used as (be) sensitized
If you have become sensitized to an allergen, even an extremely small amount of the allergen in your environment can trigger an attack.
Cite this Entry
“Sensitize.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/sensitize. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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