mitigation

noun

mit·​i·​ga·​tion ˌmi-tə-ˈgā-shən How to pronounce mitigation (audio)
plural mitigations
: the act of mitigating something or the state of being mitigated : the process or result of making something less severe, dangerous, painful, harsh, or damaging
mitigation of suffering
mitigation of punishment
There was, in sum, a period during the Cold War … when a mitigation of the Cold War, including a renegotiation of some of its most troublesome tensions, was possible or even probable.John Lukacs

Examples of mitigation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web While the role of finance and ESG will be important to help advance mitigation and adaptation strategies in certain contexts, many solutions–again, especially in large developing countries–will be heavily dependent on innovative socioeconomic policies and improved governance systems. Chandran Nair, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2023 Greener and Nair believe wildfire and weather mitigation will be the most common purpose for grant money. Tim Fitzpatrick, The Salt Lake Tribune, 2 Sep. 2023 For these experts, the logical — indeed, unavoidable — corollary to this assessment is that the sooner Americans restore mid-pandemic mitigation measures, the better. The Editors, National Review, 31 Aug. 2023 Otherwise, the global warming impacts of wildfires may be grossly underestimated, subsequently affecting climate change mitigation efforts around the globe. Popular Science, 31 Aug. 2023 MassDOT is in the process of reaching out to Union Square Main Streets to see how to best support any potential mitigation options. Taylor Dolven, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Aug. 2023 Although more mitigation efforts are needed, their general effectiveness is being undermined by the growing intensity and size of wildfires, said Mike Flannigan, a wildfire scientist at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia. Ian Austen, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2023 The foundation itself creates a target for regulation and mitigation efforts. Jenna Wiens, STAT, 25 Aug. 2023 Those opposed to the project said funding it as Bronson officials proposed last week would pull resources away from city priorities like wildfire mitigation. Emily Goodykoontz, Anchorage Daily News, 23 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mitigation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mitigation was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near mitigation

Cite this Entry

“Mitigation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mitigation. Accessed 28 Sep. 2023.

Medical Definition

mitigation

noun
mit·​i·​ga·​tion ˌmit-ə-ˈgā-shən How to pronounce mitigation (audio)
1
: the act of mitigating or state of being mitigated
the cure, prevention, or mitigation of diseaseEncyclopedia Americana
2
: something that mitigates
a large number of drugs and mitigations … at the clinicJournal of the American Medical Association
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