mitigate

verb

ˈmi-tə-ˌgāt How to pronounce mitigate (audio)
Definition of mitigatenext
as in to alleviate
to make more bearable or less severe this medicine should mitigate the pain until the strained muscle heals itself

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How is the word mitigate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of mitigate are allay, alleviate, assuage, lighten, and relieve. While all these words mean "to make something less grievous," mitigate suggests a moderating or countering of the effect of something violent or painful.

the need to mitigate barbaric laws

Where would allay be a reasonable alternative to mitigate?

The synonyms allay and mitigate are sometimes interchangeable, but allay implies an effective calming or soothing of fears or alarms.

allayed their fears

When could alleviate be used to replace mitigate?

While in some cases nearly identical to mitigate, alleviate implies temporary or partial lessening of pain or distress.

the lotion alleviated the itching

When might assuage be a better fit than mitigate?

While the synonyms assuage and mitigate are close in meaning, assuage implies softening or sweetening what is harsh or disagreeable.

ocean breezes assuaged the intense heat

When would lighten be a good substitute for mitigate?

In some situations, the words lighten and mitigate are roughly equivalent. However, lighten implies reducing a burdensome or depressing weight.

good news would lighten our worries

When can relieve be used instead of mitigate?

The words relieve and mitigate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, relieve implies a lifting of enough of a burden to make it tolerable.

took an aspirin to relieve the pain

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 mitigate Although planting trees is a good way to mitigate climate change impact, his research found that simply using lighter colored material, like white paint on rooftops, can reduce local temperatures by more than 10°F almost immediately, whereas trees can take years to mature. —Zuri Primos july 18, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2025 While a yellow placard signals two or more major violations, these are typically corrected or mitigated during the inspection, according to the Sacramento County Retail Food Inspection Guide. —Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado july 18, Sacbee.com, 18 July 2025 Firefighters were able to contain the flames and mitigate the spread to surrounding buildings and vegetation, authorities added. —Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 17 July 2025 For these reasons, Austin’s flood risk through Wednesday is mitigated. —Justin Ballard, Austin American Statesman, 8 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for mitigate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mitigate
  1. alleviate
  2. relieve
  3. help
  4. soothe
  5. ease
Verb
  • Pair your medication with lifestyle changes – like nutrition and exercise – to alleviate any adverse symptoms.
    — Sam Woodward, USA Today, 25 July 2025
  • Watson suggested adding 500 beds to the North Central Unit in Castle Rock, along with a new 1,000-bed prison, which, combined, would help alleviate the state's overcrowding problem.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 July 2025
Definition of alleviate
Verb
  • Troy Morrow − whose 76-year-old mother suffered facial fractures and a concussion after being knocked to the pavement by Raleigh's son during the incident − was visibly relieved after the jury in Hamilton County Municipal Court announced its decision.
    — Kevin Grasha, The Enquirer, 11 July 2025
  • Diana Medrano, a resident of Mosier Valley since 2012, said she was relieved Peoples came to visit.
    — Kamal Morgan July 10, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2025
Definition of relieve
Verb
  • Mark was disappointed, but the poster defended himself, saying he’s helped before and didn’t want to be taken for granted.
    — Ashley Vega, People.com, 27 July 2025
  • John Day editor-in-chief Richard Walsh and the celebrated writer Pearl S. Buck already had an author in mind for the book: twelve years earlier, Walsh and Buck had helped Chinese writer Lin Yutang to move to the United States, after Shanghai got too risky for the anticommunist liberal.
    — H.M.A. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 26 July 2025
Definition of help
Verb
  • Bathed in soothing grey tones, the 190 guest rooms and suites are configured with an open layout and oversized ceiling-to-floor windows.
    — Katie Chang, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • Trump had sought to deliver peace by soothing U.S. relations with Russia and distancing Washington from Ukraine, but now sees himself as misled by Putin.
    — Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
Definition of soothe
Verb
  • With exchange rate stability helping inflation to slow to 13.7% in June, its lowest level since 2021, some analysts expected the bank to start easing its policy stance to reduce borrowing costs and stimulate growth.
    — Nana Oye Ankrah, semafor.com, 21 July 2025
  • Conscious sedation safely eases pain and anxiety during minor medical procedures.
    — Pamela Assid, Verywell Health, 21 July 2025
Definition of ease

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Cite this Entry

“Mitigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mitigate. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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