alleviate

American  

[uh-lee-vee-eyt] / əˈli viˌeɪt /

verb (used with object)

alleviated, alleviating

1. to make easier to endure; lessen; mitigate.

   to alleviate sorrow; to alleviate pain.

   Synonyms:

   assuage, relieve, abate, diminish, lighten

   Antonyms:

   intensify, aggravate, strengthen, increase

---

alleviate British  

/ əˈliːvɪˌeɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to make (pain, sorrow, etc) easier to bear; lessen; relieve

---

Other Word Forms

• alleviation noun
• alleviative adjective
• alleviator noun
• unalleviated adjective
• unalleviatedly adverb
• unalleviating adjective
• unalleviatingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of alleviate

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English alleviaten, from Late Latin alleviātus “lightened,” past participle of alleviāre “to lighten, relieve,” from al- al- + levi(s) “light in weight” + -āre, infinitive verb suffix

Example Sentences

Swiss inflation edged up in the final month of 2025, likely alleviating the pressure on the country’s central bank to cut rates below zero.

From The Wall Street Journal

Both U.K. shop and food price inflation ticked higher in December, when shoppers leaned into promotions to alleviate cost pressures, according to an industry report.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Importantly, Azure is set for another strong year as incremental capacity alleviates constraints on core and AI workloads, unlocking faster growth and reinforcing its role as a key engine alongside M365,” Thill wrote.

From MarketWatch

On Sunday, the government announced a monthly allowance for every citizen to alleviate economic pressure, equivalent to around 3.5 percent of the average monthly wage.

From Barron's

An admission fee of £1 for non-residents was introduced in 2024 and doubled to £2 in March, and this "partially alleviated" lost revenue from the pier, a report filed in Companies House said.

From BBC

Related Words

• allay
• assuage
• ease
• mitigate