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Glite Dictionary
😬 To make very sensitive 📷 To increase sensitivity
to hypersensitize

to hypersensitize

8.7
Make a person or animal react strongly to a substance
  • verb
  • /ˌhaɪpərˈsɛnɪˌtaɪz/
  • Specialized
translation icon : hipersensibilizar
  • Many children can become hypersensitized to certain foods, leading to severe allergic reactions.

Examples

  • Some patients may hypersensitize to medications, requiring careful monitoring to avoid adverse effects.

  • The doctor explained that overexposure to certain chemicals can hypersensitize the immune system.

  • They argued that those who claimed to be negatively affected by grass smoke were already hypersensitized and that the true impacts of burning could not be clearly defined.

    Academic text (1998)

Synonyms

to sensitize
vsto hypersensitize
3 6.1

Make a person more likely to react to something like an allergen or idea

is an extreme or abnormal increase in responsiveness rather than ordinary sensitivity
to oversensitize
vsto hypersensitize
8.0

To make someone or something too sensitive to things like light and noise

is an extreme or abnormal rise in sensitivity beyond excessive levels
sensitizing
vsto hypersensitize
  • US
7.0

To make a person or animal more likely to react to touch and strong feelings

is a stronger abnormal sensitization instead of ordinary susceptibility or responsiveness
to sensibilize
vsto hypersensitize
8.3

To make people more aware of a problem or idea

is an extreme abnormal sensitivity rather than simple awareness or concern

Antonyms

to desensitize
10 6.3

To make people and animals feel less strong reactions to pain, fear or loud sounds, often by repeated exposure

How Sensitive

to hypersensitize
  • Specialized
8.7
to sensitize
3 6.1

Surface Forms

hypersensitize infinitive
hypersensitized past
hypersensitized past participle
hypersensitizing present participle
hypersensitizes third person singular

Morphology

hypersensitize = sensitize (transparent) = hyper + sensit + ize

The meaning is a direct combination of 'hyper-' meaning excessively and 'sensitize' meaning make sensitive.

Etymology

The word hypersensitize has the prefix hyper-, as in hyperactive, meaning 'too much', and sensitize, from sense, as in sensitive, meaning 'to feel'. So to hypersensitize a person or animal is to make them 'feel' things too strongly, which explains strong skin or allergy reactions.