attenuation

noun

at·​ten·​u·​a·​tion ə-ˌten-yə-ˈwā-shən 

-yü-ˈā-

plural attenuations

: the act or process of attenuating something or the state of being attenuated: such as

a

: a lessening in amount, force, magnitude, or value : weakening

Sound can travel thousands of kilometers in this planar acoustic waveguide with little attenuation.

—David Ritchie

b

: a reduction of severity or virulence : a decrease in the pathogenicity of a microorganism or in the severity of a disease

This virus grew well in tissue culture, with only limited temperature sensitivity as a marker of possible attenuation.

—Peter F. Wright

c

: diminution of thickness

The detailing of the doorway, the narrowness and attenuation of the columns of the portico, and most especially the paneling and ornamentation in the interior … bespeak the neoclassical, somewhat similar to the plaster work found in Baltimore interiors.

—Jessie Poesch

Examples of attenuation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Add an ounce of watermelon juice, and that drops to 11 to 12 percent, still stronger than a beer, but a noticeable attenuation. —Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 11 Apr. 2025

The engines sit over the body of the aircraft allowing for noise attenuation. —Jerrold Lundquist, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025

The Wi-Fi proponents took weighted averages over several building materials to calculate typical wall attenuations. —IEEE Spectrum, 27 May 2022

While some Xero shoes have no foam underfoot, the X1 features 5mm of EVA form and 4mm of a special shock attenuation foam. —Tim Newcomb, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1559, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for attenuation

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Medical Definition

attenuation

noun

at·​ten·​u·​a·​tion ə-ˌten-yə-ˈwā-shən 

: a decrease in the pathogenicity or vitality of a microorganism or in the severity of a disease

Legal Definition

attenuation

noun

at·​ten·​u·​a·​tion ə-ˌten-yu̇-ˈwā-shən 

: a lessening of the amount, force, or magnitude of something

specifically : a weakening of the connection between an illegal police procedure and the evidence obtained by it such that the evidence is admissible at trial as an exception to the exclusionary rule