Synonym Chooser

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

Examples 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 This rapid response aims to mitigate fears of a potential power vacuum and restore confidence among Syrian citizens and the international community. Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024 Copenhagen is filled with green spaces, which helps to mitigate pollution and free radicals and improve air quality, all of which is good news for Danish women’s skin. Ana Morales, Vogue, 29 Nov. 2024 Interactive wind turbine database—overlapping bat data with wind turbine locations that could mitigate bat lethality in ways such as slowing turbine speeds during bat migratory seasons. Noël Fletcher, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2024 The state also has been taken steps to mitigate some of the retiree health care debt problem. Kaitlin McCallum, Hartford Courant, 28 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for mitigate 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mitigate
Verb
  • How can people alleviate winter air pollution? Residents can take action to reduce air pollution during inversions and dry, stagnant weather conditions.
    Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 16 Dec. 2024
  • Between holiday gifting, Black Friday, and the dopamine hit that is simply buying something just to alleviate the pre-wintertime blues, rounding up the best new beauty products of the last few weeks is fitting.
    Kiana Murden, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Miss Manners is relieved not to be asked what to do about that vulgarity.
    Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 16 Dec. 2024
  • This massage gun can help relieve them with its rotating percussion arm and ergonomic grip for personalized muscle treatments.
    Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The premium tax credit is a refundable credit that helps eligible individuals and families cover the premiums for their ACA health insurance.
    Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024
  • Warmer temperatures, precipitation or wind can help clean the air, but these conditions can be less common during Phoenix winters.
    Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Only have 30 minutes to soothe your rage before family dinner?
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 Dec. 2024
  • From hydrating to shine-controlling to soothing, each face mist is designed to tackle specific skin-care concerns and should complement your existing regiment.
    Kiana Murden, Vogue, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • That could cause trouble for Trump, who faces a potential Catch-22 that will make easing the housing burden difficult to solve.
    Jeff Cox, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2024
  • This external validation can ease the discomfort of inconsistency in relationships and provide further confidence to navigate the disagreement. 3.
    Mark Travers, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Mitigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mitigate. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on mitigate

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