1. to administer anesthesia to; to make insensible to pain
Usage: British spelling (U.S. anesthetizes); third-person singular present tense
2. to make emotionally or mentally insensible; to dull the senses or feelings of
Usage: figurative use; British spelling

Examples

• The dentist anesthetises the patient before filling the tooth.
• The surgeon anesthetises the area around the wound to prevent pain.
• Repeated exposure to violence can anesthetise people to its effects.
• The medication anesthetises the nerve endings in the affected region.
• Constant bad news anesthetises the public to real suffering.
• The local anesthetic anesthetises only the specific area being treated.