Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

lessen

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of lessen

1 to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent

  • we lessened our efforts as it became clear they werenʼt having an effect
Synonyms of lessen

abate, de-escalate, decrease, dent, deplete, diminish, downscale, downsize, drop, dwindle, ease, knock down, lower, reduce
Words Related to lessen

compress, condense, constrict, contract

abbreviate, abridge, clip, crop, curtail, cut, cut back, cut down, dock, nick, pare, prune, retrench, shorten, slash, trim, truncate, whittle

deflate, shrink

minimize

moderate, modify, modulate, qualify
Near Antonyms of lessen

blow up, dilate, distend, inflate, swell

elongate, extend, lengthen, prolong, protract

add (to), complement, supplement

enhance, heighten, intensify

redouble
Antonyms of lessen

aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, enlarge, escalate, expand, increase, raise

2 to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually

  • the pain should begin to lessen within minutes of taking the medication
Synonyms of lessen

abate, de-escalate, decline, decrease, die (away or down or out), diminish, drain (away), drop (off), dwindle, ease, ebb, fall, fall away, let up, lower, moderate, pall, phase down, ratchet (down) also rachet (down) , recede, relent, remit, shrink, subside, taper, taper off, wane
Words Related to lessen

compress, condense, constrict, contract

evaporate, fade (away), fritter (away), give out, melt (away), peter (out), tail (off), vanish

slacken, slow (down)

alleviate, relax

flag, sink, weaken

cave (in), collapse, deflate
Near Antonyms of lessen

appear, emerge, show up

blow up, distend, elongate, lengthen
Antonyms of lessen

accumulate, balloon, build, burgeon (also bourgeon), enlarge, escalate, expand, grow, increase, intensify, mount, mushroom, pick up, rise, snowball, soar, swell, wax

3 to lower in character, dignity, or quality

  • blatant hypocrisy that lessened him in the eyes of the voters
Synonyms of lessen

abase, bastardize, canker, cheapen, corrupt, debase, debauch, degrade, demean, demoralize, deprave, deteriorate, pervert, poison, profane, prostitute, subvert, vitiate, warp
Words Related to lessen

befoul, begrime, contaminate, defile, dilute, dirty, pollute, taint, thin, water down, weaken

descend

disgrace, dishonor, humble, humiliate, shame, take down

blemish, damage, deface, destroy, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, mar, ruin, spoil, stain, tarnish, wreck

depreciate, downgrade
Near Antonyms of lessen

dignify, exalt, honor

ameliorate, amend, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate, perfect

clarify, clean, cleanse, purify, refine, restore

respect
Antonyms of lessen

elevate, ennoble, uplift

Synonym Discussion of lessen

decrease, lessen, diminish, reduce, abate, dwindle mean to grow or make less. decrease suggests a progressive decline in size, amount, numbers, or intensity.
    • slowly decreased the amount of pressure
lessen suggests a decline in amount rather than in number.
    • has been unable to lessen her debt
diminish emphasizes a perceptible loss and implies its subtraction from a total.
    • his visual acuity has diminished
reduce implies a bringing down or lowering.
    • you must reduce your caloric intake
abate implies a reducing of something excessive or oppressive in force or amount.
    • the storm abated
dwindle implies progressive lessening and is applied to things growing visibly smaller.
    • their provisions dwindled slowly

Learn More about lessen

  1. See words that rhyme with lessen Dictionary: Definition of lessen Spanish Central: Translation of lessen Nglish: Translation of lessen for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of lessen for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up lessen? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

WORD OF THE DAY

tomfoolery

playful or foolish behavior

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. gaslight It is a word, though.

  2. invasion CNN reporter questions President.

  3. relevancy Ariana Grande slams ex-fiancé.

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games