Synonym Chooser

How is the word alleviate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of alleviate are allay, assuage, lighten, mitigate, and relieve. While all these words mean "to make something less grievous," alleviate implies temporary or partial lessening of pain or distress.

the lotion alleviated the itching

When would allay be a good substitute for alleviate?

While the synonyms allay and alleviate are close in meaning, allay implies an effective calming or soothing of fears or alarms.

allayed their fears

When is assuage a more appropriate choice than alleviate?

The meanings of assuage and alleviate largely overlap; however, assuage implies softening or sweetening what is harsh or disagreeable.

ocean breezes assuaged the intense heat

When might lighten be a better fit than alleviate?

While in some cases nearly identical to alleviate, lighten implies reducing a burdensome or depressing weight.

good news would lighten our worries

When is it sensible to use mitigate instead of alleviate?

In some situations, the words mitigate and alleviate are roughly equivalent. However, mitigate suggests a moderating or countering of the effect of something violent or painful.

the need to mitigate barbaric laws

When can relieve be used instead of alleviate?

The words relieve and alleviate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, relieve implies a lifting of enough of a burden to make it tolerable.

took an aspirin to relieve the pain

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of alleviate And the Zoned Lumbar Support offers focused support for your lower back, ensuring proper spinal alignment and reducing pressure on your lumbar region, helping to alleviate aches and pains. Sherrie Nachman, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025 His departure alleviated what was a very crowded running back corps in Washington. Kevin McCormick, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025 They were supposed to help alleviate the lack of experience at cornerback. Miami Herald, 7 Sep. 2025 According to a company blog post, the OpenAI Jobs Platform will use AI to help qualified candidates match with companies and alleviate the job disruption that’s been caused in part by the invention of ChatGPT itself. Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for alleviate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alleviate
Verb
  • The agency has launched a recruitment drive to relieve the stress by hiring thousands of new officers as quickly as possible, but that process will likely take months or years to play out.
    Ted Hesson, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2025
  • The researchers hypothesized that soft music has a relaxing effect, relieving the tension that makes carsickness worse, and joyful music might serve as distraction, activating the brain's reward systems.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Field believes one of the key intersections between AI and design is that AI tools will help broaden access, letting more people become designers.
    Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Turn into the skid - Turning into the skid can help the vehicle's tires realign to regain control.
    KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Their lab now influences how global companies specify components and design for longevity, safety, and ROI, helping prevent thermal runaway propagation, mitigate corrosion, and elevate system ruggedness.
    Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Understanding the gravity of a red flag warning and adhering to these precautions is pivotal in mitigating the risk of wildfires during these perilous conditions.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Markopoulos might include a warm bath or shower, reading a physical book, listening to soothing music, or drinking a caffeine free herbal tea.
    Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The beef is tender, and the broth has that nice aromatic spice that is immediately soothing and associated with a classic beef noodle soup.
    Shindy Chen, Charlotte Observer, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Alcaraz was briefly in a battle against Novak Djokovic, but eased through the third set after taking the second on a tiebreak.
    Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The new rates, intended to streamline processes and compliance while easing the burden on consumers, include tax cuts on various items like apparel and footwear, and narrow down the four tax slabs introduced when GST first rolled out in 2017.
    Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 5 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Alleviate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alleviate. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on alleviate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!