alleviate

verb

al·​le·​vi·​ate ə-ˈlē-vē-ˌāt 

alleviated; alleviating; alleviates

transitive verb

: relieve, lessen: such as

a

: to make (something, such as pain or suffering) more bearable

a drug that alleviates the symptoms

using relaxation techniques to alleviate stress

To draw customers, [Richard G.] Rosenberg became certified in pedorthics—an area that involves the design, make and modification of shoes to alleviate foot ailments.

—Dana Hedgpeth

b

: to partially remove or correct (something undesirable)

government programs to alleviate poverty

Enticing retirees into the work force to alleviate the current labor shortage …

—Cullen Murphy

alleviation

ə-ˌlē-vē-ˈā-shən 

noun

the alleviation of arthritic pain

… the stability of the developed world is as dependent on alleviation of problems in the third world as on the ability to keep the nuclear arms race under control.

—Carl Marcy

alleviator

ə-ˈlē-vē-ˌā-tər 

noun

plural alleviators

… firefighters' camaraderie with the city and with each other is the biggest stress alleviator, [former Boston Fire Commissioner Paul] Christian said.

—Justine Hoffher

Did you know?

Where does the word alleviate come from?

Now for a bit of light reading. Alleviate comes from Latin levis, meaning "having little weight." (Levis also gave rise to the English adjective light, as in "not heavy.") In its early days, alleviate could mean "to cause (something) to have less weight" or "to make (something) more tolerable." The literal "make lighter" sense is no longer used, and today only the "relieve" sense remains. Incidentally, not only is alleviate a synonym of relieve, it's also a cousin; relieve comes from levare ("to raise"), which in turn comes from levis.

Synonyms

• allay
• assuage
• ease
• help
• mitigate
• mollify
• palliate
• relieve
• soothe

Choose the Right Synonym for alleviate

relieve, alleviate, lighten, assuage, mitigate, allay mean to make something less grievous.

relieve implies a lifting of enough of a burden to make it tolerable.

took an aspirin to relieve the pain

alleviate implies temporary or partial lessening of pain or distress.

the lotion alleviated the itching

lighten implies reducing a burdensome or depressing weight.

good news would lighten our worries

assuage implies softening or sweetening what is harsh or disagreeable.

ocean breezes assuaged the intense heat

mitigate suggests a moderating or countering of the effect of something violent or painful.

the need to mitigate barbaric laws

allay implies an effective calming or soothing of fears or alarms.

allayed their fears

Examples of alleviate in a Sentence

For decades, as you probably know, researchers have found that when you tell patients that you're giving them medicine, many report that their symptoms are alleviated, even if they're only taking sugar pills. —Daniel Zwerdling, Gourmet, August 2004

Granholm has spent the morning giving a major public address on state finance issues, courting local officials in meetings, and, in between, talking with me. We'd discussed the state of the Michigan economy and her ideas for developing a new high-tech corridor outside Detroit that focuses on homeland security innovation; we went over her ideas for alleviating overcrowding in the state's emergency rooms. —Jonathan Cohn, New Republic, 14 Oct. 2002

When applied in ointment form, capsaicin helps alleviate the discomfort of arthritis and psoriasis. Taken internally as a diluted tincture, it helps keep the blood flowing smoothly and strengthens the cardiovascular system. —Nina Simonds, Gourmet, September 2002

Ridley, a British journalist with a doctoral degree in zoology, does touch on the incredible potential of genetics for alleviating human misery.  … But much of his remarkable book is focused on a higher plane of pure intellectual discovery. —Lee M. Silver, New York Times Book Review, 27 Feb. 2000

Before discussing what must be done to alleviate the environmental and social crises afflicting the globe, Chief Oren Lyons … of the Turtle Clan of the Onondaga Nation, wanted to drive to a gym in Syracuse, New York, and watch his son shadowbox. —Paul Schneider, Audubon, March/April 1994

finding ways to alleviate stress

a car pool alleviates some of the stress of driving the kids to and from school every day

Recent Examples on the Web

Research shows that yoga, for example, can help alleviate some of the tough emotions that come with PMS. —Julia Ries, SELF, 4 Nov. 2024

Its softer side is heavy on body contouring to help alleviate pressure buildup along the shoulders and hips for side sleepers. —Ashley Zlatopolsky, Architectural Digest, 31 Oct. 2024

Federal health officials said last week that a Missouri resident infected with bird flu did not spread the virus to others, alleviating concerns about potential human-to-human transmission during the current nationwide outbreak. —Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024

Covering costs of at-home care workers through Harris’s plan could help alleviate some of these burdens. —Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 29 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin alleviatus, past participle of alleviare, from Latin ad- + levis light — more at light

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

alleviate

verb

al·​le·​vi·​ate ə-ˈlē-vē-ˌāt 

alleviated; alleviating

: to make easier to put up with : relieve

alleviation

ə-ˌlē-vē-ˈā-shən 

noun

Medical Definition

alleviate

transitive verb

al·​le·​vi·​ate ə-ˈlē-vē-ˌāt 

alleviated; alleviating

: to make (as symptoms) less severe or more bearable

a lotion to alleviate itching

alleviation

-ˌlē-vē-ˈā-shən 

noun