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 data center may need several other permits as well, Kelly said, including ones for air quality, stormwater management and wildlife mitigation. —Romy Ellenbogen, Sun Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026

Camie Hubbard lives on Craftmont Avenue in Pittsburgh and claims a mitigation contractor hired by their insurance company tore into their home without proper testing or safeguards in place, exposing them to contaminants like lead and asbestos. —Erika Stanish, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026

In California, state and local government agencies have launched dust-mitigation efforts by installing windbreaks, such as cultivating native plants or reshaping the topography with more ridges. —Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026

The federal decision blocks access to critical FEMA public assistance for affected communities, as well as statewide hazard mitigation support. —Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 14 Apr. 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