English vocabulary · C1
Mitigate
/ˈmɪtɪɡeɪt/ · v.
To mitigate something is to make it less harmful or less severe. The problem stays, but the damage shrinks.
Continue in the learning app for video lessons and review.
Example sentences
- Seat belts mitigate the risk of serious injury.
- The new rules should mitigate the impact on small businesses.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- mitis — mild (from Latin)
- ag — drive (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- REDUCE — make something smaller (Make smaller)
- LESSEN — make something weaker (Make weaker)
- ALLEVIATE — ease pain or stress (Ease pain or stress)
Words with the same root
ag — drive
- act — do something
- agent — one who acts for another
- agenda — list of things to do
Lesson notes
To mitigate something is to make it less harmful or less severe. The problem stays, but the damage shrinks.
Related: reduce, lessen, alleviate. Use mitigate when you cut the damage of a problem you can't remove.
Seat belts mitigate the risk of serious injury. The new rules should mitigate the impact on small businesses.
From Latin. Mitis means mild, and ag- means drive. Drive it toward mild: mitigate.