as in diminished
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1
as in reduced
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent
we lessened our efforts as it became clear they weren't having an effect
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decreased
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
the pain should begin to lessen within minutes of taking the medication
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3
as in weakened
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
blatant hypocrisy that lessened him in the eyes of the voters
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lessened
Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
Mitigators work in the other direction, articulating a spectrum of factors that might support lessened punishment, such as the defendant having no prior criminal record, or acting under significant duress.
—Literary Hub, 20 Jan. 2026
After taking a lessened role in 2025, Texas Tech cornerback Maurion Horn will enter the transfer portal with one year of eligibility remaining, per multiple reports.
—Ty Kaplan, Dallas Morning News, 2 Jan. 2026
An overloaded dryer leads to lessened airflow and, therefore, extended dry time.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Dec. 2025
Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 26 May 2026
His anxieties about other issues have lessened but this is as strong as ever.
—R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 18 May 2026
During these 10 years, the logical assumption is that children born in this era would have grown up in a time where Japanese anime was under more scrutiny and lessened in popularity.
—Kalai Chik, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
When consumers' buying power is lessened, everyone suffers.
—John Ramos, CBS News, 13 May 2026
His workload lessened after that, especially with travel taking a toll.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 4 May 2026
At the same time, the company’s lofty talk of space exploration beyond the moon, especially of Mars, has notably lessened.
—Ramin Skibba, Scientific American, 4 May 2026
Democrats said one of the biggest benefits is that tax increases will likely be lessened in many cities and towns because of the additional funding that the municipalities will receive.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 2 May 2026
The open communication also lessened the pressure on players, says Denmark and Bayern Munich striker Pernille Harder.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Adjective
Kuminga then saw a combination of injuries and uneven performances lead to lessened playing time before eventually falling out of the rotation altogether.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
Mitigators work in the other direction, articulating a spectrum of factors that might support lessened punishment, such as the defendant having no prior criminal record, or acting under significant duress.
—Literary Hub, 20 Jan. 2026
After taking a lessened role in 2025, Texas Tech cornerback Maurion Horn will enter the transfer portal with one year of eligibility remaining, per multiple reports.
—Ty Kaplan, Dallas Morning News, 2 Jan. 2026
An overloaded dryer leads to lessened airflow and, therefore, extended dry time.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Dec. 2025
Verb
Late Monday, officials allowed 65% of evacuees to return home, saying the threat of a catastrophic blast from the overheated container at GKN Aerospace had lessened.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 26 May 2026
His anxieties about other issues have lessened but this is as strong as ever.
—R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 18 May 2026
During these 10 years, the logical assumption is that children born in this era would have grown up in a time where Japanese anime was under more scrutiny and lessened in popularity.
—Kalai Chik, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
When consumers' buying power is lessened, everyone suffers.
—John Ramos, CBS News, 13 May 2026
His workload lessened after that, especially with travel taking a toll.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 4 May 2026
At the same time, the company’s lofty talk of space exploration beyond the moon, especially of Mars, has notably lessened.
—Ramin Skibba, Scientific American, 4 May 2026
Democrats said one of the biggest benefits is that tax increases will likely be lessened in many cities and towns because of the additional funding that the municipalities will receive.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 2 May 2026
The open communication also lessened the pressure on players, says Denmark and Bayern Munich striker Pernille Harder.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lessened
Verb
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As a result, the evacuation zone was initially reduced Monday evening, allowing some 34,000 residents to return home.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2026
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Some sides have reduced the volume of man-to-man phases in their press to avoid getting caught out in this way.—
Jon Mackenzie,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Homicides have decreased by roughly 11% from this time in 2025, which ended with a 60-year low in the number of people killed; the city has also had 148 fewer people shot.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2026
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This isn’t unique to Sacramento, with Smith noting that an American Alliance of Museums survey found that 55% of museums report decreased traffic.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
31 May 2026
Verb
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The long-term confidentiality assumption built into these systems is already weakened, whether or not the users know it.—
Sandy Peng,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
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Middle Eastern carriers faced severe operational strain amid the disruptions across airspace throughout the region that weakened regional connectivity, as certain countries still having full or partial closures at the time.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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In Stoddart’s estimation, the best way to freeze these semi-consumed cakes is in slices.—
Taylor Tobin,
Southern Living,
2 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Attendance diminished in recent years as the Wizards tore down their roster in the hopes of accumulating draft picks in trades and losing enough games to win early picks via the annual draft lottery.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
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The future-proof leader is the person disciplined enough to question their own assumptions, recognize when familiar frameworks no longer serve the moment, and understand that leadership is strengthened, not diminished, by remaining open to growth.—
Mary Hemphill,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Analysts say the White House would favor a right-wing candidate, and that a victory for either Valencia or de la Espriella would probably mean a return to closer cooperation with Washington on security policy, after relations deteriorated under Petro.—
Catherine Ellis,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
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Regarding their own industries, CEO assessments about current conditions and expectations in six months deteriorated since last quarter.—
Sarah Min,Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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In many ways, the modern wellness industry appears increasingly focused not on optimization alone — but on helping chronically stressed, inflamed, exhausted, and physically depleted people simply feel functional again.—
Meggen Harris,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
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Replacing depleted missile stocks will require sustained investment.—
Editorial Board,
Washington Post,
12 May 2026
Verb
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While the heaviest fighting has subsided, the ceasefire has seen almost daily Israeli fire.—
Ahmad Mantash,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
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The surgery in July 2022 went as planned, and in the early weeks of recovery, nothing appeared out of the ordinary as the swelling gradually subsided.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lessened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lessened. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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