insensitize
[/ɪnˈsɛnsɪtaɪz/]
verb
dessensibilizar
1. to make someone less sensitive or responsive to something; to reduce emotional or physical sensitivity
Repeated exposure to violence can insensitize viewers to its harmful effects.
A exposição repetida à violência pode dessensibilizar os espectadores para seus efeitos prejudiciais.
2. in photography or medical contexts, to remove or reduce sensitivity to light or other stimuli
The chemical treatment insensitizes the photographic film to further light exposure.
O tratamento químico dessensibiliza o filme fotográfico para exposição adicional à luz.
3. to reduce allergic or immunological sensitivity through gradual exposure
Immunotherapy aims to insensitize patients to allergens over time.
A imunoterapia visa dessensibilizar pacientes a alérgenos ao longo do tempo.
The term is more commonly used in formal, technical, and academic contexts in both English and Portuguese. In Brazil, it frequently appears in discussions about media influence and psychological effects. In the USA, it's particularly prevalent in clinical psychology and immunotherapy discourse.
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