MITIGATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does mitigate mean? 

• MITIGATE (verb)
  The verb MITIGATE has 2 senses:

1. lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of

2. make less severe or harsh

  Familiarity information: MITIGATE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MITIGATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they mitigate    ... he / she / it mitigates   
Past simple: mitigated   
Past participle: mitigated   
-ing form: mitigating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

extenuate; mitigate; palliate

Context example:

The circumstances extenuate the crime

Hypernyms (to "mitigate" is one way to...):

apologise; apologize; excuse; rationalise; rationalize (defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning)

Domain category:

jurisprudence; law (the collection of rules imposed by authority)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

mitigation (to act in such a way as to cause an offense to seem less serious)

mitigation (a partial excuse to mitigate censure; an attempt to represent an offense as less serious than it appears by showing mitigating circumstances)

mitigative; mitigatory (moderating pain or sorrow by making it easier to bear)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make less severe or harsh

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

mitigating circumstances

Hypernyms (to "mitigate" is one way to...):

decrease; lessen; minify (make smaller)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "mitigate"):

lighten; relieve (alleviate or remove (pressure or stress) or make less oppressive)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

mitigable (capable of being alleviated)

mitigation (a partial excuse to mitigate censure; an attempt to represent an offense as less serious than it appears by showing mitigating circumstances)

mitigative; mitigatory (moderating pain or sorrow by making it easier to bear)

 Context examples 

c-MYC inhibitors might be useful to mitigate radiation-induced gastrointestinal syndrome in patients.

(New Way Discovered for Protecting against High-Dose Radiation Damage, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Losing seagrasses disrupts marine ecosystems and removes critical stores of "blue carbon," which help mitigate climate change.

(Sharks, the seagrass protectors, National Science Foundation)

Trees help to mitigate climate change by taking carbon out of the atmosphere and storing it.

(Expedition finds tallest tree in the Amazon, University of Cambridge)

We should satisfy demand for vegetable oil with profitable production systems, preserve habitats of conservation importance, and mitigate the negative effects of oil palm plantations on the environment.

(Greener palm oil possible without sacrificing profit, SciDev.Net)

A general description of the disease or condition the product will diagnose, treat, prevent, cure, or mitigate.

(Indication, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

Magnesium also reduces osteoporosis, helping to mitigate the risk of bone fracture that can be attributed to low levels of Vitamin D.

(Low Magnesium Levels Make Vitamin D Ineffective, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Extensive, mature forest cover can mitigate the impact of severe heat waves, droughts and other weather extremes over large regions, according to new NOAA research.

(Forests minimize severe heat waves, NOAA)

This gene is involved in mitigating host inflammatory defense mechanisms in response to microbial invasion.

(DEFB1 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

Any action or response, without curative intent, that mitigates some or all of the unpleasant effects of a disease or condition.

(Palliative, NCI Thesaurus)

Upon administration, anti-interleukin 6 monoclonal antibody ALD518 binds to and blocks the activity of IL-6, which may mitigate the catabolic effects of IL-6.

(Anti-Interleukin 6 Monoclonal Antibody ALD518, NCI Thesaurus)