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, extensive, 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

The flooding in West Sumatra province submerged thousands of homes, including more than 3,300 houses in Padang Pariaman district, forcing about 12,000 residents to flee to temporary shelters, the local disaster mitigation agency said. —Arkansas Online, 28 Nov. 2025

Kohberger listed his parents and two sisters, as well as his uncle Randall, as possible mitigation witnesses for the penalty phase of this trial. —Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 28 Nov. 2025

With projections suggesting much of the risk is already locked in because of past emissions, comprehensive adaptation and mitigation strategies are required to protect millions of Americans from exposure to toxic floodwaters. —Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025

This provides sourcing flexibility and risk mitigation. —Sj Studio, Sourcing Journal, 24 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mitigation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

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

—The Journal of the American Medical Association