as in to reduce
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
time had cauterized his bitterness, and he was willing to let bygones be bygones
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Recent Examples of cauterize
When Amy Adams’ Lois Lane is wounded in the Arctic while working on a story, the ever-ready hero emerges from nowhere, ready to cauterize her wound with his X-ray eyes.
—
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 11 July 2025
The cauterizing device commonly needed for this type of surgery couldn’t be used due to the risk of explosion.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 20 June 2025
For patients deemed female, excess flesh could be cut away, and for patients deemed male, the vulva could be cauterized to close it.
—Sarah Barringer, The Conversation, 18 Feb. 2025
Two arms tipped with multiple tools can perforate gastric ulcers, cauterize and suture wounds, or perform emergency appendectomies.
—IEEE Spectrum, 2 Apr. 2014
See All Example Sentences for cauterize
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 11 July 2025
The cauterizing device commonly needed for this type of surgery couldn’t be used due to the risk of explosion.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 20 June 2025
For patients deemed female, excess flesh could be cut away, and for patients deemed male, the vulva could be cauterized to close it.
—Sarah Barringer, The Conversation, 18 Feb. 2025
Two arms tipped with multiple tools can perforate gastric ulcers, cauterize and suture wounds, or perform emergency appendectomies.
—IEEE Spectrum, 2 Apr. 2014
See All Example Sentences for cauterize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cauterize
Verb
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In the kitchen, ingredients are sourced locally to reduce carbon footprint and maintain freshness.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
-
To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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By Mia Gindis and Alex Longley, Bloomberg Oil climbed in another volatile trading session as traders weighed whether an emergency release of crude reserves by wealthy nations would blunt the impact of escalating disruptions to Middle East supplies.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
11 Mar. 2026
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And are a lot of us eager to see Sabalenka try to add a big trophy to the new hardware on her ring finger—against, perhaps, Gauff, who at her best can blunt Sabalenka’s nuclear groundstrokes with her steady perseverance and wily strategy?—
Corey Seymour,
Vogue,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Another suggestion was requiring special sound-deadening balls, currently available, that lower the decibel levels considerably.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
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Merrill had the same impulse—the need to become a self not necessarily free of all that money could buy but not crippled or deadened by it, either.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And then the steakhouse’s growth spurt dulled.—
Phillip Valys,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
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Despite running a mere 94 minutes, the film’s multiple threads are presented in a manner so outstretched their totality becomes dulled, as the inherent allure of the saga at large gradually wanes in energy.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But Waddle’s production diminished the past three years because of myriad factors, including Tagovailoa’s regression, some drops by Waddle and Hill commanding more targets before his September injury last year.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
17 Mar. 2026
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Israel’s indie film industry is diminished, squeezed between endless conflict, global boycotts over Gaza and defunding threats from the country’s right-wing government, and hopes are slim for a presence in Cannes this year.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Because both actors look like lumpish proletarian versions of Ingmar Bergman stars — Alma Pöysti, radiant yet benumbed, plays Ansa like a dish-towel Bibi Andersson, and Jussi Vatanen could be the schlump brother of Max von Sydow (with a dollop of Ryan Gosling).—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
23 May 2023
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What’s destructive, and eventually benumbing, is the kitchen-sink clutter of fantasy, reality, wish-fulfillment and glib enchantment.—
Joe Morgenstern,
WSJ,
24 Jan. 2019
Verb
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When presidents sidestep formal addresses and Congress declines to insist upon them, the deliberative architecture of the republic weakens.—
Kenneth Zagacki,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Mar. 2026
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High supply and weakening renter demand have apartment landlords living in an ever-more competitive space.—
Diana Olick,
CNBC,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cauterize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cauterize. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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