mitigate
Translation
to lessen, to alleviate, to reduce
Examples
They took steps to mitigate the damage.
They took steps to mitigate the damage.
New measures were introduced to mitigate the effects of pollution.
New measures were introduced to mitigate the effects of pollution.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) to make (sth.) less severe or harmful They took steps to mitigate the damage.
Similar Words
Synonyms: alleviate, lessen, reduce; Antonyms: aggravate, worsen
Etymology
From Latin 'mitigare' (to soften), from 'mitis' (mild) + 'agere' (to make).
Memory Tips
Think of making a problem 'milder'. The word sounds like 'mild gate' - making a problem pass through a milder gate, thus lessening its impact.