Library / English Dictionary

SENSITIZE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make sensitive or aware

Example:

He was not sensitized to her emotional needs

Synonyms:

sensibilise; sensibilize; sensify; sensitise; sensitize

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "sensitize" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody PP

Antonym:

desensitize (make insensitive)

Derivation:

sensitization ((psychology) the process of becoming highly sensitive to specific events or situations (especially emotional events or situations))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make (a material) sensitive to light, often of a particular colour, by coating it with a photographic emulsion

Example:

sensitize the photographic film

Synonyms:

sensitise; sensitize

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "sensitize" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Domain category:

photography; picture taking (the act of taking and printing photographs)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make sensitive to a drug or allergen

Example:

Long-term exposure to this medicine may sensitize you to the allergen

Synonyms:

sensitise; sensitize

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "sensitize" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

sensitization (rendering an organism sensitive to a serum by a series of injections)

sensitizer ((chemistry) a substance other than a catalyst that facilitates the start of a catalytic reaction)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Cause to sense; make sensitive

Example:

My tongue became sensitized to good wine

Synonyms:

sensitise; sensitize

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Cause:

feel; sense (perceive by a physical sensation, e.g., coming from the skin or muscles)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "sensitize"):

photosensitise; photosensitize (make (an organism or substance) sensitive to the influence of radiant energy and especially light)

excite; stimulate; stir (stir feelings in)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Antonym:

desensitize (cause not to be sensitive)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Beta-elemene may sensitize cancer cells to other chemotherapeutic agents.

(Beta-elemene, NCI Thesaurus)

This agent may sensitize drug-resistant tumor cells to other antineoplastic agents, possibly through a mechanism involving the down-regulation of thymidylate synthase.

(Belinostat, NCI Thesaurus)

In addition, this agent is able to sensitize FACT-positive tumor cells to the cytotoxic effects of other chemotherapeutic agents.

(FACT Complex-targeting Curaxin CBL0137, NCI Thesaurus)

Apaziquone may selectively sensitize hypoxic tumor cells to radiocytotoxicity.

(Apaziquone, NCI Thesaurus)

In addition, AZD6738 sensitizes tumor cells to chemo- and radiotherapy.

(ATR Kinase Inhibitor AZD6738, NCI Thesaurus)

First, the plasmid is injected directly into lymph nodes in order to sensitize or prime antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and central memory T cells in lymph nodes to plasmid-expressed Melan A and tyrosinase.

(Immunotherapy Regimen MKC-1106-MT, NCI Thesaurus)

The resulting complexes accumulate in hypoxic tumors, thereby depleting radioprotective thiol compounds and sensitizing tumor cells to be more susceptible for radiation treatment.

(Pimonidazole, NCI Thesaurus)

A local or general reaction of an organism following contact with a specific allergen to which it has been previously exposed and to which it has become sensitized.

(Hypersensitivity, NCI Thesaurus)

Niacinamide acts as a chemo- and radio-sensitizing agent by enhancing tumor blood flow, thereby reducing tumor hypoxia.

(Niacinamide, NCI Thesaurus)

Exhibiting high electron affinity, misonidazole induces the formation of free radicals and depletes radioprotective thiols, thereby sensitizing hypoxic cells to the cytotoxic effects of ionizing radiation.

(Misonidazole, NCI Thesaurus)