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 To alleviate pressure after the diagnosis, her boss needed to reassign some of her larger projects. Jillian Frankel, People.com, 27 June 2025 Staff hope that change would persuade more people to take on the cost burden to build ADUs in the first place, which could eventually turn into long-term rentals and help alleviate the city’s housing crisis, Coletto said. Theresa Clift, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2025 There are some policies that may help alleviate high costs, Whitney Airgood-Obrycki, a senior research associate at the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, told USA TODAY. Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 24 June 2025 Why can activity help alleviate some types of back pain? Katie Camero, SELF, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for alleviate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alleviate
Verb
  • The facility intends to relieve overcrowding in local jails and support President Donald Trump and his administration’s mass deportation initiative.
    Heather Hunter, The Washington Examiner, 30 June 2025
  • The governor said the detention centers will relieve pressure on county jails holding inmates facing deportation.
    Skyler Swisher, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • It’s helped stop disease outbreaks, revolutionize agricultural practices, and in some cases, promote democracy.
    Chad de Guzman, Time, 1 July 2025
  • Each of the wand attachments is made of tourmaline ceramic to help heat the hair evenly and reduce heat damage.
    Kiana Murden, Vogue, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • To mitigate these issues, monitoring systems are hugely important.
    Jeff Mahler, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
  • Travelers are mitigating these risks by purchasing travel insurance, booking flexible tickets, and researching destinations.
    Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Garlic’s many health benefits include immunity support, soothing inflammation, and boosting collagen production.
    Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 1 July 2025
  • The writer-director made sure all players honored poker rules and that movies were playing so anyone mad about a poker loss could soothe their financial pain.
    Samantha Rodriguez, Miami Herald, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • In recent weeks, Trump has rolled back some of his steepest levies, easing costs imposed upon companies and alleviating concern about a sharp surge of inflation.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 27 June 2025
  • Ultimately, mastering this approach not only enhances your sales performance but positions your company among the industry's top-tier, significantly easing future recruitment and fueling sustainable growth.
    Ryan Hohman, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Alleviate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alleviate. Accessed 8 Jul. 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!