al·le·vi·ate

(ə-lē′vē-āt′)

tr.v. al·le·vi·at·ed, al·le·vi·at·ing, al·le·vi·ates

1. To make (pain, for example) less intense or more bearable: a drug that alleviates cold symptoms. See Synonyms at relieve.

2. To lessen or reduce: alleviate unemployment.

[Middle English alleviaten, from Late Latin alleviāre, alleviāt-, to lighten : Latin ad-, ad- + levis, light; see leg^wh- in Indo-European roots.]

al·le′vi·a′tion n.

al·le′vi·a′tor n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.

alleviated - (of pain or sorrow) made easier to bear

eased, relieved

mitigated - made less severe or intense; "he gladly accepted the mitigated penalty"

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References in classic literature

Carbury's couch, and in the means of conveying her from the bedchamber to the drawing-room, which alleviated the poor lady's sufferings and brightened her gloomy life.

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My depression was not alleviated by the announcement, for, I had supposed that establishment to be an hotel kept by Mr.

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The pain of separation, however, might be alleviated on his side, by preparations for the reception of his bride; as he had reason to hope, that shortly after his return into Hertfordshire, the day would be fixed that was to make him the happiest of men.

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I never lie down at night but I know that in the course of that day he has alleviated pain and soothed some fellow-creature in the time of need.

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