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 weren't 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

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

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

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

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

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

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