mitigate

[mit-i-geyt]

verb (used with object)

mitigated, mitigating 

1. to lessen in force or intensity, as wrath, grief, harshness, or pain; moderate.

2. to make less severe.

   to mitigate a punishment.

3. to reduce the risk or impact of harmful conditions or events.

   To mitigate flood damage, new building regulations are being developed.

4. to make (a person, one's state of mind, disposition, etc.) milder or more gentle; mollify; appease.

5. Environmental Science.,  to restore or recreate (a habitat) in order to make up for losses due to development or agriculture.

   No one has tried anything on this scale before to mitigate the grasslands bird habitat.

verb (used without object)

mitigated, mitigating 

1. to become milder; lessen in severity.

mitigate

/ ˈmɪtɪɡəbəl, ˈmɪtɪˌɡeɪt /

verb

1. to make or become less severe or harsh; moderate

Usage

Mitigate is sometimes wrongly used where militate is meant: his behaviour militates (not mitigates ) against his chances of promotion

Confusables Note

Mitigate, whose central meaning is “to lessen” or “to make less severe,” is sometimes confused with militate, which means “to have effect or influence; weigh on.” This mix-up often occurs in the use of the phrase mitigate against, as follows: This criticism in no way mitigates (read militates ) against your going ahead with your research. Although this use of mitigate occasionally occurs in edited writing, it is rare and is widely regarded as an error.

Other Word Forms

• mitigation noun
• mitigative adjective
• mitigator noun
• mitigable adjective
• overmitigate verb
• unmitigable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mitigate¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English mitigaten, from Latin mītigātus (past participle of mītigāre “to calm, soften, soothe”), equivalent to mīt(is) “mild, soft, gentle” + -ig- (combining form of agere “to do, cause to do, make”) + -ātus verb suffix; -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of mitigate¹

C15: from Latin mītigāre, from mītis mild + agere to make

Example Sentences

It said precautionary measures had been taken to mitigate harm to civilians, "including advance warnings to the population" and the use of "precise munitions".

From BBC

Domestically, Modi has announced some help for struggling exporters and there are tax cuts on the anvil to mitigate the impact on exports.

From BBC

“She feels horrible about all of this. Nobody wants to be in the chain of causation,” Geragos said, adding that he will present evidence of mitigating circumstances at her Dec. 10 sentencing.

From Los Angeles Times

The report suggested converting some of them to housing because they potentially could have more value as apartments or condominiums, which could help mitigate expected tax losses.

From Los Angeles Times

Then, earlier this year, a World Athletics working group recommended going further still, claiming new research showed testosterone suppression could only partly mitigate the overall male advantage.

From BBC

Related Words

• allay 
• alleviate 
• assuage 
• blunt 
• dull 
• ease 
• lessen 
• mollify 
• reduce 
• relieve 
• remediate 
• soften 
• soothe 
• temper 
• weaken