mitigating

American  

[mit-i-gey-ting] / ˈmɪt ɪˌgeɪ tɪŋ /

Rarely mitigative

adjective

1. lessening the force, intensity, or severity of something, as punishment, danger, pain, anger, etc. (sometimes used in combination).

   The defense made only brief mention of his intellectual disability and the beatings he suffered—mitigating circumstances that could have changed the trial’s outcome.

   As a responsible bank, we take various risk-mitigating measures to protect the interests of our customers.

---

noun

1. the act or fact of lessening the force, severity, etc., of something.

   Seven organizations have agreed to contribute microsatellites dedicated to the monitoring and mitigating of man-made and natural disasters.

Other Word Forms

• nonmitigative nonmitigatory adjective
• unmitigative adjective

Etymology

Origin of mitigating

First recorded in 1565–75; mitigat(e) ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective; mitigat(e) ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun

Example Sentences

“The market wants to see progress in mitigating the tail risks around this conflict,” he said.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

“Today, we are proactively mitigating risks before they affect the traveling public,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in a statement announcing the policy change.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Studies show that parenting plays a critical role in mediating and mitigating the impact of social media.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

"It is no longer a question of whether we can still save the glaciers in their former state. It is a question of mitigating the consequences for ourselves".

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026

I had thought of telling him about the rash too, as a mitigating circumstance, but decide that our relationship is not at a point where I want to be discussing my body.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

Related Words

• encouraging
• reassuring
• refreshing
• soothing