alleviate
/əˈliːvɪeɪt
/verb [with object]
Make (suffering, deficiency, or a problem) less severe: he couldn’t prevent her pain, only alleviate it measures to alleviate unemployment...
- Far from alleviating the problem, the farming of carnivorous fish, such as salmon, adds to the pressure on wild fish populations.
- All monies raised will go towards alleviating the suffering of survivors.
- The decriminalisation of abortion would assist in alleviating this problem.
Synonyms
reduce, ease, relieve, take the edge off, deaden, dull, diminish, lessen, weaken, lighten, attenuate, allay, assuage, palliate, damp, soothe, help, soften, temper, control, still, quell, quieten, quiet, tone down, blunt, dilute, moderate, mitigate, modify, abate, lull, pacify, placate, mollify, sweeten
rare extenuate
Derivatives
alleviative
/ adjective ...- However, the problem is becoming alleviative due to the rapid reduction in the costs of computer hardware.
- Measures to be taken against flooding can be strategic and alleviative to reduce both incidence and severity.
- The duty-free importation of considerable quantities of frozen meat constitutes an alleviative measure for the consumers.
alleviator
/ noun ...- The Lyonnaise poutine is one of the best hangover alleviators I've ever tried: thick, rough-cut fries, a very pungent peppercorn sauce, curds of squeaky-fresh cheese, fried ground beef and thinly sliced onions.
- Drug use becomes more attractive as an alleviator of stress and strain and as a means of escape from a harsh reality.
- Also not a brand-new offering, this company offers herbal alternatives in the form of sunblock, bug repellent, muscle pain alleviator, and poison oak and ivy soap.
Origin
Late Middle English: from late Latin alleviat- 'lightened', from the verb alleviare, from Latin allevare, from ad- 'to' + levare 'raise', influenced by levis 'light'.
elevate from Late Middle English:
The word elevate is from Latin elevare ‘to raise’, based on levis ‘light’, found also in alleviate (Late Middle English) ‘lighten’, levity (mid 16th century), relieve (Middle English), and the leaven (Middle English) used in bread-making to lighten the loaf.