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

Their rollback is part of a broad push against methane mitigation, however. — Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 29 Oct. 2026

The rats tear open trash bags and seem to resist mitigation efforts, including poison, peppermint spray and even freezing trash until collection day. — Joe Brandt, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026

This involved documentation of risk mitigation, analysis of hazards and workflows that control for food safety. — David Raynor, Charlotte Observer, 28 Oct. 2026

Meanwhile, Lula will play a leading global role in climate change mitigation; deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon dropped by a record 42% in the year to July. — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026

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