as in to reduce
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
time had cauterized his bitterness, and he was willing to let bygones be bygones
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cauterize
As Hercules cut off the Hydra’s heads, Iolaus cauterized the stumps with a burning torch to prevent new growth, allowing the pair to defeat the monster.
—
Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 July 2024
With the outreach to contributors drawing skepticism and even outrage, the White House tried to cauterize the wound with an announcement yesterday that the 81-year-old president will sit down for an extended interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos on July 5.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 3 July 2024
If the tumor were excised with anything less than perfect precision, with every vessel meticulously cauterized, catastrophic bleeding into the brain could result.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024
Then Musgrove fanned All-Star Freddie Freeman, again cauterizing the bleeding.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for cauterize
Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 July 2024
With the outreach to contributors drawing skepticism and even outrage, the White House tried to cauterize the wound with an announcement yesterday that the 81-year-old president will sit down for an extended interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos on July 5.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 3 July 2024
If the tumor were excised with anything less than perfect precision, with every vessel meticulously cauterized, catastrophic bleeding into the brain could result.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024
Then Musgrove fanned All-Star Freddie Freeman, again cauterizing the bleeding.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for cauterize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cauterize
Verb
-
Standardization can also reduce due diligence burdens.—
The Sorenson Impact Institute,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Higher temperatures may also reduce the sugar content of maple sap, meaning producers will need to collect and boil more sap to produce the same quantities of syrup.—
Nina Foster,
JSTOR Daily,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
No government funds go to artistic programming, which has blunted potential criticism about censorship or propaganda.—
Joanna Dee Das,
The Conversation,
4 Apr. 2025
-
Effective Ukrainian radio jamming has blunted Russia’s advantage in precision glide bombs by blocking the signals between the bombs and their navigation satellites—often causing the bombs to veer off target.—
David Axe,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
America’s morning television brightens the day but deadens the soul.—
Joel Golby,
airmail.news,
5 Oct. 2024
-
One way of deadening the mind to distractions is by blowing opponents off the court.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes,
5 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
That dulled the outcome for A’s fans but not all of the energy for fans soaking in the historic moment.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
3 Apr. 2025
-
More than a century later, fine particles of pollution still clung to its feathers, dulling what once was a scarlet red breast to a mottled gray.—
Corinne Purtill,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The VMAs, which have seen their social capital diminish over the past few years, delivered a promising ceremony in 2024.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
3 Apr. 2025
-
As time went on, her pain diminished, but August decided to go to the emergency room.—
Vanessa Etienne,
People.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Because both actors look like lumpish proletarian versions of Ingmar Bergman stars — Alma Pöysti, radiant yet benumbed, plays Ansa like a dish-towel Bibi Andersson, and Jussi Vatanen could be the schlump brother of Max von Sydow (with a dollop of Ryan Gosling).—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
23 May 2023
-
What’s destructive, and eventually benumbing, is the kitchen-sink clutter of fantasy, reality, wish-fulfillment and glib enchantment.—
Joe Morgenstern,
WSJ,
24 Jan. 2019
Verb
-
More broadly, consumer sentiment has declined and retail sales growth has weakened, reflecting the uncertainty of customers over where the economy is headed.—
Harry Holzer,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
-
One way that could happen would be for foreign countries to weaken their currency to make the same product cheaper in dollars for tariff purposes, without raising the end cost to the consumer.—
Brendan Coffey,
Sportico.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cauterize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cauterize. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share