lessen
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
-
to make less; reduce.
-
Archaic. to represent as less; depreciate; disparage.
verb
-
to make or become less
-
(tr) to make little of
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
lessensimple
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lessenssimple
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have lessenedperfect
-
has lessenedperfect
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am lesseningprogressive
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are lesseningprogressive
-
is lesseningprogressive
-
have been lesseningperfect progressive
-
has been lesseningperfect progressive
Past
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lessenedsimple
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had lessenedperfect
-
was lesseningprogressive
-
were lesseningprogressive
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had been lesseningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of lessen
First recorded in 1300–50; late Middle English lessenen, lasnen; equivalent to less + -en 1
Explanation
To lessen is to make smaller, to reduce, or to weaken. A high school football coach might try to lessen head injuries by improving the quality of the team's helmets. If your cold symptoms lessen, it means you're sneezing and coughing much less and can probably go to school. If the value of your Pez collection lessens, it means those plastic candy dispensers can't be sold for quite as much money on eBay. And your friend might recommend that you take a yoga class or learn to meditate, especially if she thinks you should lessen your stress and anxiety.
Vocabulary lists containing lessen
Going Down: Synonyms for "Fall"
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Chop Chop: Synonyms for "Cut"
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Road Trip Magical Mystery List A
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Instead, the government appears to be relying on testimony from multiple convicted felons who have admitted their own involvement and may have substantial incentives to shift blame in an effort to lessen their sentences.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
“Instead, the government appears to be relying on testimony from multiple convicted felons who have admitted their own involvement and may have substantial incentives to shift blame in an effort to lessen their sentences.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026
The company tried to lessen its dependence by introducing a membership model.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
“In setting policy at this meeting, the Committee continued to judge that weakness in demand and the labour market was likely to lessen the strength of second-round effects from higher global energy prices.”
From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026
But it does lessen the weight for a moment.
From "Every Day" by David Levithan
Maybe it lessens the phantom pain of not having that piece of himself on his shoulder.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026
As Microsoft’s control over OpenAI lessens, OpenAI has been strengthening its relationship with Amazon.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 13, 2026
It creates multiple pathways for energy to move through the system, reduces wasted power, and lessens the strain on the resonator.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 10, 2026
But the problem is that there are good safety reasons for allowing the 350kw super-clip, as it lessens the need for another energy-harvesting strategy known as lift and coast.
From BBC ● Mar. 29, 2026
The twang of the guitar grows louder, and the echo lessens.
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
But it only made No. 110 in the ranking, weighed down by lower scores on AI readiness, talent readiness and resilience that lessened the impact of good scores on innovation and financial fitness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026
In recent months Kalshi’s reliance on sports has lessened.
From Barron's ● Mar. 11, 2026
She lost her sight aged 17, five years ago, and says her more observational tics, such as focusing on peoples' physical appearances, have since lessened.
From BBC ● Feb. 27, 2026
As the rain lessened, the wind increased, making holes 12 to 16 particularly challenging.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 19, 2026
Then the wind lessened and the moon came out and by its light we reached the village.
From "Island of the Blue Dolphins" by Scott O'Dell
Yes, it’s too high, he says, but he suggests that his housing plan will deploy a trickle-down approach that starts with lessening landlords’ risks and costs and thus encourages them to build more.
From Slate ● Jun. 3, 2026
But that’s also another aspect the proposed rule is addressing, he said: lessening the scope for litigation so that plans of all sizes might be more likely to incorporate these other investment choices.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 1, 2026
Ellen Swallow Richards is known as the founder of home economics, which to her meant bringing scientific principles to domestic life, lessening household labor and improving public health.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026
But Kail’s fleet maneuvers keep the production from bogging down without lessening the emotional combustion that is the source of the playwright’s lasting genius.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 15, 2025
Thus in one blow Elizabeth had been saved from typical English digs, while I looked forward to a lessening of my stomach pains.
From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
