Friday, October 16, 2015

Word of the Day - October 16, 2015

mitigate  /ˈmɪtɪɡeɪt/
verb

Meaning:

1. make (something bad) less severe, serious, or painful.

"drainage schemes have helped to mitigate the problem of flooding in the community."


2. lessen the gravity of (an offence or mistake).

"He would have faced a prison sentence but for some circumstances that mitigated the punishment."

Synonyms
alleviate, reduce, diminish, lessen, weaken, lighten, attenuate, take the edge off, allay, ease, assuage, palliate, cushion, damp, deaden, dull, appease, soothe, relieve, help, soften, temper, still, quell, quieten, quiet, tone down, blunt, dilute, moderate, modify, abate, lull, pacify, placate, mollify, sweeten, tranquillize, remit, extenuate, excuse, mollify, 

Antonyms
aggravate, incite, increase, intensify, irritate, worsen, exacerbate, irritate, amplify

Origin
1375-1425; late Middle English mitigaten < Latin mītigātus (past participle of mītigāre to calm, soften, soothe), equivalent to mīt(is) mild, soft, gentle + -ig- (combining form of agere to do, cause to do, make) + -ātus -ate

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