Mitigate
/ˈmɪtɪɡeɪt/
Definitions
To lessen the gravity or seriousness of something; to make something less severe, serious, or painful.
/ˈmɪtɪɡeɪt/
To make something less severe, serious, or painful.
The company took steps to mitigate the damage caused by the scandal.
💡 Simply: Imagine you stub your toe really bad. Mitigate means to try and make it hurt less, like putting ice on it. It's like saying, 'Let's try to make this not so bad.'
👶 For kids: To make something bad not as bad.
More Examples
We need to mitigate the risks associated with the new project.
The government is trying to mitigate the impact of the economic downturn.
How It's Used
"Companies often take measures to mitigate financial risks."
"Governments are implementing policies to mitigate climate change."
"Painkillers can help to mitigate the effects of a headache."
Idioms & expressions
mitigate circumstances
To reduce the negative effects of a specific situation or event.
"The judge considered the defendant's difficult upbringing when mitigating the circumstances."
mitigation efforts
Actions or initiatives taken to reduce the negative impacts or risks.
"The company's mitigation efforts focused on reducing carbon emissions."
From Latin *mitigatus*, past participle of *mitigare* 'to soften, make mild', from *mitis* 'mild' + *-igare* (verb-forming suffix).
The word 'mitigate' has been used since the 15th century, initially referring to softening or lessening something, a sense that has largely remained consistent.
Memory tip
Imagine a gate. The gate is causing a problem. To *mitigate* the problem, you change the gate (e.g., repair, replace), lessening the impact.
Word Origin
"mild, gentle"