attenuating
Making less intense
Attenuating means weakening, thinning, or reducing in force or intensity.
A signal attenuates as it travels through cable.
Sound attenuates over distance.
Attenuating circumstances lessen the severity of an offense.
In medicine, an attenuated virus has been weakened for use in vaccines.
The word suggests gradual diminishment rather than sudden elimination.
Becoming smaller or fewer
- lesseningBecoming reduced in degree
- reducingMaking less or smaller
- taperingProgressive decrease in width
- weakeningBecoming less strong
minimizing · shrinking · curtailing · abating · declining · fading · waning · ebbing
Controlled heating and cooling
- moderatingMaking less extreme
- toning downLessening force or impact
- mutingSuppressing sound output
- subduingBringing under control
gentling · cushioning · buffering · blunting · mellowing · easing · lightening · mitigating
Reducing or wetting slightly
Reducing density or number
- watering downMaking weaker or milder
- dispersingSpreading widely apart
- dissolvingPassing into solution
- mixingCombining into one mass
dilution · solution · suspension · infusion · diffusing · spreading · rarefying · stretching
decreasing
Becoming smaller or fewer
- lesseningBecoming reduced in degree
- reducingMaking less or smaller
- taperingProgressive decrease in width
weakening · minimizing · shrinking · curtailing · abating · declining · fading · waning · ebbing · dwindling
tempering
Controlled heating and cooling
- moderatingMaking less extreme
- toning downLessening force or impact
- mutingSuppressing sound output
subduing · gentling · cushioning · buffering · blunting · mellowing · easing · lightening · mitigating · alleviating
dampening
Reducing or wetting slightly
- filteringSelective passage of elements
- absorbingHolding attention completely
- mufflingReducing sound intensity
shielding · blocking · insulating · soundproofing · interference
thinning
Reducing density or number
- watering downMaking weaker or milder
- dispersingSpreading widely apart
- dissolvingPassing into solution
mixing · dilution · solution · suspension · infusion · diffusing · spreading · rarefying · stretching · cutting
- downplayingminimizing, downplay, trivializing, belittling, soft-pedal
- quietingsilencing, hushing, quieting, muffling, turning down
- Resistorsresistor, potentiometer, rheostat, preset, thermistor
attenuatingamplifying
Increasing strength or intensity
strengthening · intensifying · boosting · increasing · magnifying
attenuatingthickening
Increasing in density
widening · expanding · concentrating · broadening · enlarging
attenuatingintensifying
Increasing in strength
aggravating · exacerbating · worsening · heightening · escalating
- wave attenuationReduction in wave intensity