1. to make someone or something unable to feel pain, especially by giving them drugs before a medical operation
Usage: medical
2. to make someone unable to think or feel normally
Usage: figurative

Examples

• The doctor anesthetizes the patient before surgery.
• The dentist anesthetizes the area around the tooth before drilling.
• The medication anesthetizes the pain in her back.
• Television anesthetizes the mind if watched too much.
• The cold weather anesthetizes his fingers.
• The surgeon anesthetizes the entire leg for the operation.