mitigate
Make less harsh
Mitigate means make less harsh or make less hostile.
The most common object of mitigate is effect: In summertime the many shade trees mitigate the effect of the hot sun.
Things often seen as needing mitigation include risk, impact, problems, damage, and loss.
People often try to mitigate something after a failed attempt at prevention.
A word with nearly opposite meaning is aggravate, which means to make something already bad even worse.
Reduce in degree
- diminishTo make smaller
- decreaseBecome or make smaller
- minimizeReduce to smallest extent
- lowerReduce or move downward
curtail · abate · reduce · shrink · contract · downsize · pare · cut
Speak to formally
counteract · offset · neutralize · compensate · repair · redress · heal · mend
Precaution against harm
- preventStop in advance
- protectKeep from harm
- hedgeBoundary of planted shrubs
- insureProtect against financial loss
contingency · precaution · failsafe · backup · redundancy · resilience · preparedness · risk management
Facilitate agreement between disputants
- arbitrateSettle as impartial judge
- negotiateDiscuss to reach agreement
- conciliateCalm hostile feelings
- reconcileResolve a disagreement
settle · broker · facilitate · intercede · diplomacy · compromise · defuse · de-escalate
ease
Lack of strain
lighten · soften · palliate · ameliorate · soothe · comfort · cushion · buffer · blunt · dampen
lessen
Reduce in degree
lower · curtail · abate · reduce · shrink · contract · downsize · pare · cut · limit
address
Speak to formally
resolve · counteract · offset · neutralize · compensate · repair · redress · heal · mend · improve
safeguard
Precaution against harm
insure · contingency · precaution · failsafe · backup · redundancy · resilience · preparedness · risk management · damage control
mediate
Facilitate agreement between disputants
- arbitrateSettle as impartial judge
- negotiateDiscuss to reach agreement
- conciliateCalm hostile feelings
reconcile · settle · broker · facilitate · intercede · diplomacy · compromise · defuse · de-escalate · peacemaking
- diminishingabate, decrease, diminish, dwindle, ebb
- softensoften, dampen, mute, muffle, tone down
- building verbsbuild, construct, erect, demolish, renovate
- preventionflu shot, prevent, flu shots, protect, vaccines
- Reduceshrink, diminish, decrease, lessen, reduce
- restrainhold back, suppress, hold in, keep in, keep down
- mitigating circumstancesConditions lessening apparent guilt
- mitigating factorConsideration lessening culpability
- risk mitigationReducing exposure to threats
- damage mitigationReducing harm's extent
- flood mitigationReducing overflow damage risk
- climate change mitigationLessening greenhouse gas output
mitigation, unmitigated, mitigating, mitigated, mitigates, mitigations, mitigator, mitigators