1. to make abnormally or excessively sensitive to a stimulus or substance
Usage: often used in medical, psychological, or scientific contexts
2. to cause someone to become overly reactive or defensive about a particular issue or topic
Usage: informal usage

Examples

• Repeated exposure to the allergen can hypersensitize the immune system.
• The medication may hypersensitize patients to sunlight.
• Constant criticism can hypersensitize a child to perceived rejection.
• The training was designed not to hypersensitize employees to minor workplace conflicts.
• Prolonged stress can hypersensitize nerve endings, causing chronic pain.
• The campaign inadvertently served to hypersensitize the public to the issue.