mitigate
[ mit-i-geyt ]
/ ˈmɪt ɪˌgeɪt /
verb (used with object), mit·i·gat·ed, mit·i·gat·ing.
to lessen in force or intensity, as wrath, grief, harshness, or pain; moderate.
to make less severe: to mitigate a punishment.
to make (a person, one's state of mind, disposition, etc.) milder or more gentle; mollify; appease.
verb (used without object), mit·i·gat·ed, mit·i·gat·ing.
to become milder; lessen in severity.
Origin of mitigate
1375–1425; late Middle English
mitigaten < 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
-ate1
usage note for mitigate
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 WORDS FROM mitigate
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH mitigate
militate mitigate (see usage note at the current entry)Words nearby mitigate
mithridate,
mithridates vi,
mithridatism,
mithridatize,
miticide,
mitigate,
mitigating circumstances,
mitigation,
mitilíni,
mitis,
mitla
Example sentences from the Web for mitigating
British Dictionary definitions for mitigating
mitigate
/ (ˈmɪtɪˌɡeɪt) /
verb
to make or become less severe or harsh; moderate
Derived forms of mitigate
mitigable (ˈmɪtɪɡəbəl), adjective mitigation, noun mitigative or mitigatory, adjective mitigator, nounWord Origin for mitigate
C15: from Latin
mītigāre, from
mītis mild +
agere to make
usage for mitigate
Mitigate is sometimes wrongly used where
militate is meant:
his behaviour militates (not
mitigates)
against his chances of promotion
Medical definitions for mitigating
mitigate
[ mĭt′ĭ-gāt′ ]
v.
To moderate in force or intensity.