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
-
lessenssimple
-
have lessenedperfect
-
has lessenedperfect
-
am lesseningprogressive
-
are lesseningprogressive
-
is lesseningprogressive
-
have been lesseningperfect progressive
-
has been lesseningperfect progressive
Past
-
lessenedsimple
-
had lessenedperfect
-
was lesseningprogressive
-
were lesseningprogressive
-
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"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Chop Chop: Synonyms for "Cut"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Road Trip Magical Mystery List A
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
I rotated among brands to lessen the likelihood that these additives would heavily influence my results.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
Carney has charted a distinctive course in international affairs and trade, traveling the world in search of new business partners that can help Canada lessen its dependence on the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
ESPN’s direct-to-consumer streaming service, designed to lessen its dependency on declining cable TV revenue, is still in its nascent stage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Washing or peeling can lessen the risk of infection, but cooking food to at least 158 degrees reliably kills Cyclospora.
From Slate ● Jul. 17, 2026
They were determined to lessen her influence and did it with a brazen and shameless act: they sent her into internal exile.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
This actuarial approach lessens the chance you’ll run out of money, and it lets good market returns flow through to higher spending.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 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
AkademikerPension’s allocation to Treasuries is too small to affect the market, and its move to other dollar-denominated assets further lessens the blow.
From Barron's ● Jan. 20, 2026
Global demand for travel is fairly strong going into the new year, she notes, and that lessens the need to offer deals.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 18, 2025
"Routine lessens risk," her father chimed in, scarfing his food because he had a flight to catch.
From "Look Both Ways" by Jason Reynolds
But it could be lessened, Percy said, by local authorities embracing technological advances.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
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
Since then, the stigma surrounding bargain stores has lessened for both customers and brands.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 23, 2026
There have been years of discussions of a federated European Union cloud and talks of what lessened dependence on the whims of American Big Tech companies might mean.
From Barron's ● Jan. 28, 2026
For the hobbits each day, each mile, was more bitter than the one before, as their strength lessened and the land became more evil.
From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien
Shares of banks, airlines, retailers and other industries that had struggled since February have started breaking higher, lessening the market’s dependence on hot tech stocks and catching the attention of chart-watching technical strategists.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 17, 2026
“While global inventories have been drawing down, the market still seems focused on lessening demand and gradual supply being added.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
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
Two months after the anniversary of the devastating Southern California firestorms, several legislators at the state Capitol unveiled a package of bills aimed at preventing wildfires and lessening their harms.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 4, 2026
There was a discernible lessening in Aunt Addie’s hostility; perhaps she had come to the conclusion that my lost soul was more valuable than petty pride.
From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright
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.
