mitigation

noun

mit·​i·​ga·​tion ˌmi-tə-ˈgā-shən 

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

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Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

mitigation

noun

mit·​i·​ga·​tion ˌmit-ə-ˈgā-shən 

1

: the act of mitigating or state of being mitigated

the cure, prevention, or mitigation of disease

—Encyclopedia Americana

2

: something that mitigates

a large number of drugs and mitigations … at the clinic

—Journal of the American Medical Association