palliates
Lessens without curing
Palliates means to reduce the severity of something without eliminating it entirely.
A treatment palliates symptoms when it eases pain or discomfort without curing the underlying condition: The medication palliates but doesn't heal.
More broadly, to palliate is to make something seem less serious or offensive—to excuse or gloss over: His apology barely palliates the damage he caused.
Lessens or substitutes for
- easesReduces severity or difficulty
- alleviatesReduces severity of
- soothesGently relieves distress
- mitigatesMakes something less harsh
lessens · reduces · comforts · manages · dulls · numbs · sedates · analgesic
Face-covering disguises
- glossesSurface shines or annotations
- coversPuts over, hides
- excusesExplanations offered for faults
- whitewashesConceals wrongdoing with spin
minimizes · downplays · obscures · softens · disguises · mitigates · extenuates · rationalizes
relieves
Lessens or substitutes for
- easesReduces severity or difficulty
- alleviatesReduces severity of
- soothesGently relieves distress
mitigates · lessens · reduces · comforts · manages · dulls · numbs · sedates · analgesic · hospice
masks
Face-covering disguises
whitewashes · minimizes · downplays · obscures · softens · disguises · mitigates · extenuates · rationalizes · justifies
soothes
Gently relieves distress
mollifies · placates · reassures · softens · tempers · quiets · appeases · consoles · pacifies · eases
palliatescures
Remedies that heal
heals · remedies · eradicates · eliminates · resolves
palliatesaggravates
Makes more severe
exacerbates · worsens · intensifies · inflames · irritates
- palliative careRelief-focused medicine for illness
- palliative care doctorDoctor easing serious illness suffering
- palliative care specialistDoctor managing terminal comfort
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