verb

alleviate

alleviate, ease, relieve, lessen

The medicine will alleviate your pain.

The medicine will alleviate your pain.

We need to alleviate the traffic problem.

We need to alleviate the traffic problem.

((sth.)) to make (sth.) less severe The medicine will alleviate your pain.

Synonyms: ease, relieve, reduce; Antonyms: aggravate, worsen

From Latin 'ad-' (to) + 'levis' (light), literally meaning 'to make light'.

Think of a 'lever' lifting a heavy weight, making it 'lighter'. To alleviate is to lift a burden or pain.

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