1
as in decreasing
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 diminishing
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in weakening
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
blatant hypocrisy that lessened him in the eyes of the voters
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in reducing
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Dissimilar Words
2
as in depreciation
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lessening
Barbara Kates-Garnick, The Conversation, 26 Aug. 2025
The good news is that GPT-5 will presumably be somewhat less than gushingly friendly, though the lessening might be variable and of a mixed result.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 13 Oct. 2025
Of note, Rogers Communications closed a deal in July to obtain a majority ownership stake of MLSE, lessening Tanenbaum’s power in the organization going forward.
—Eric Koreen, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Looking to not be burdened with the massive contract, the Bucks instead decided to cut Lillard and spread out his money over five seasons, lessening the financial impact of the deal.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Therefore, lessening the impact of food production on the planet while also making enough to feed the global population will take planning and a coordinated effort among nations, Hicks said.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
Decentralization can reduce the risk of government mismanagement or overreach, lessening the likelihood of currency debasement and/or runaway inflation.
—Alex Pron, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Imagine wanting to see a play—ostensibly, in part, for the liveness of a play—but mistrusting your judgment enough to read a review first, thereby lessening your opportunity for surprise.
—Lauren Rothery, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
The Patriots must be willing to make adjustments after Sunday’s 20-13 loss to the Raiders, and one of those might be lessening Drake Maye’s workload.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Survey response rates for the BLS have been down since the pandemic, lessening the quality of Labor Department surveys, and while economists have complained about that trend, none have seriously questioned the agency’s methodologies or its execution of them.
—Tobias Burns, The Hill, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
While appearing radical at the time, the revamping of scientific boards to include more industry representatives, the undoing of power plant rules and the lessening of enforcement hobbled but did not completely undo the agency.
—Barbara Kates-Garnick, The Conversation, 26 Aug. 2025
The good news is that GPT-5 will presumably be somewhat less than gushingly friendly, though the lessening might be variable and of a mixed result.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Noun
One key part of lessening this burden is creating an environment at home that promotes a fair distribution of tasks like scheduling appointments and keeping track of obligations.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 13 Oct. 2025
Of note, Rogers Communications closed a deal in July to obtain a majority ownership stake of MLSE, lessening Tanenbaum’s power in the organization going forward.
—Eric Koreen, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Looking to not be burdened with the massive contract, the Bucks instead decided to cut Lillard and spread out his money over five seasons, lessening the financial impact of the deal.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Therefore, lessening the impact of food production on the planet while also making enough to feed the global population will take planning and a coordinated effort among nations, Hicks said.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
Decentralization can reduce the risk of government mismanagement or overreach, lessening the likelihood of currency debasement and/or runaway inflation.
—Alex Pron, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Imagine wanting to see a play—ostensibly, in part, for the liveness of a play—but mistrusting your judgment enough to read a review first, thereby lessening your opportunity for surprise.
—Lauren Rothery, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
The Patriots must be willing to make adjustments after Sunday’s 20-13 loss to the Raiders, and one of those might be lessening Drake Maye’s workload.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Survey response rates for the BLS have been down since the pandemic, lessening the quality of Labor Department surveys, and while economists have complained about that trend, none have seriously questioned the agency’s methodologies or its execution of them.
—Tobias Burns, The Hill, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lessening
Verb
-
Actions the report calls for include rapidly reducing planet-heating pollution and scaling up carbon removal from the atmosphere.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
13 Oct. 2025
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See video … LISTEN Tune in to the FOX NEWS RUNDOWN PODCAST to learn how the White House plans to strengthen control over critical minerals while reducing dependence on China.—
,
FOXNews.com,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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High pressure will build in behind the storm, resulting in dry weather and decreasing winds.—
Dakin Andone,
CNN Money,
12 Oct. 2025
-
Moreover, parlay bets are getting more complicated as time goes on, decreasing the chances of winning.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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By suddenly disclosing its true holdings, China could drive up gold prices while signaling stronger backing for the renminbi, thus weakening the dollar’s global clout.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Recent economic data has suggested a weakening labor market and inflation up a touch, but not so much as to crack the stock market.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Volpe was a focus of both media sessions, as Boone and Cashman detailed the extent of his shoulder problem and were both asked why the team stuck with him as the everyday shortstop despite the injury and his diminishing play.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Organizations with a poor data foundation see diminishing returns from technology investments, while those with superior data infrastructure experience accelerating returns.—
Tammy Hawes,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Taken together, that’s a 5- to 10-point swing in costs that has brought the respectable 10 percent or 12 percent EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) margin down into the doldrums of the midsingle digits.—
Evan Clark,
Footwear News,
10 Oct. 2025
-
The government has had to deploy millions of dollars and reintroduce some exchange controls to fend off further depreciation on the peso in the past week.—
Nicolle Yapur,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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From the Luddites smashing looms in 19th-century England to autoworkers walking out over the introduction of robots to the factory floor in the 1980s, resistance has flared before either being crushed or subsiding, giving way to the new economies and social orders the technologies ushered in.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
During the recent measles outbreak centered in Texas, the Pandemic Center’s data contradicted Kennedy’s assertions that the crisis was subsiding, Jennifer Nuzzo, the director of the Pandemic Center, told me.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The alliance should also increase its training with an eye toward degrading or destroying the Kaliningrad facilities should direct hostilities break out.—
James Stavridis,
Twin Cities,
13 Oct. 2025
-
The research revealed a strong correlation between microbial plastic-degrading potential and global plastic pollution levels, suggesting bacteria are adapting to what’s available.—
Tejasri Gururaj,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In a stand mixer, thoroughly cream together the shortening, margarine, 3 cups of the sugar, and the eggs.—
Kate Bradshaw,
Mercury News,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Processing extras’ job bookings has helped give Everyset a window in to where work is now, as Hollywood grapples with major studios cutting the number of annual big theatrical bets and shortening TV episode orders from the Peak TV days of just a few years ago.—
Erik Hayden,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lessening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lessening. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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