alleviate
🇺🇸 /əˈliːviːˌeɪt/
📖 Definitions
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verb
To make something less severe, intense, or painful; to reduce the severity or burden of something.; To relieve or lessen the weight of a problem, difficulty, or hardship.; To provide temporary comfort or solace from distress or suffering.; To lighten or reduce the intensity of a feeling such as grief, anxiety, or boredom.; To diminish or moderate the force or effect of something, such as pressure or tension.
🔗 Details
Word forms
3rd sing.: alleviates
Past: alleviated
Past part.: alleviated
Pres part.: alleviating
Collocations
alleviate painalleviate sufferingalleviate povertyalleviate stressalleviate symptomsalleviate pressurealleviate concerns
Derivatives
alleviationalleviatoralleviativealleviatory
Synonyms
relieveeasemitigatelessenreduceameliorateassuagediminish
Antonyms
aggravateworsenexacerbateintensify
Commonly confused
ameliorate
EN: 'Ameliorate' is more formal and typically refers to improving conditions or situations; 'alleviate' more commonly refers to relieving pain, suffering, or burden.
elevate
EN: 'Elevate' means to raise up or lift; 'alleviate' means to lessen or relieve — they look similar but have nearly opposite directional meanings.
Spelling tips
EN: Remember 'alleviate' has a double 'l' and ends in '-iate' (not just '-ate'). Do not confuse it with 'elevate', which lacks the initial 'al-'.
💬 Examples
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The new medication helped alleviate her chronic pain significantly.
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The government introduced new policies to alleviate poverty in rural areas.
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She tried to alleviate his fears by reassuring him that everything would be fine.
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He read a book to alleviate the boredom of the long train journey.
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The mediator worked to alleviate the tension between the two conflicting parties.