palliate

[ pal-ee-eyt ]

/ ˈpæl iˌeɪt /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: palliate / palliation on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), pal·li·at·ed, pal·li·at·ing.

to relieve or lessen without curing; mitigate; alleviate.

to try to mitigate or conceal the gravity of (an offense) by excuses, apologies, etc.; extenuate.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of palliate

First recorded in 1540–50, palliate is from the Late Latin word palliātus cloaked, covered. See pallium, -ate¹

OTHER WORDS FROM palliate

pal·li·a·tion

[pal-ee-ey-shuhn], /ˌpæl iˈeɪ ʃən/, nounpal·li·a·tor, nounun·pal·li·at·ed, adjective

Words nearby palliate

palletize, pallet knife, pallet truck, pallial, palliasse, palliate, palliation, palliative, palliative care, pallid, pallium

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use palliate in a sentence

For others, the choice instead is to palliate reality through alcohol or other assorted fixes.
How I Escaped My Troubles Through Science - Issue 104: Harmony|Subodh Patil|August 25, 2021|Nautilus
A lawyer would try to defend, or palliate, my act from the standpoint of the law.
Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist|Alexander Berkman
This was a political fault, which no circumstances can palliate.
Memoirs of the Courts and Cabinets of George the Third|The Duke of Buckingham and Chandos
Pulsatilla is the proper medicine to palliate and regulate the symptoms.
An Epitome of Homeopathic Healing Art|B. L. Hill

Later in the case, though Nux may palliate, it will not cure.
An Epitome of Homeopathic Healing Art|B. L. Hill
To palliate on such grounds is to believe in the irresponsibility of motives, which should transcend times and occasions.
Christopher Columbus and How He Received and Imparted the Spirit of Discovery|Justin Winsor

British Dictionary definitions for palliate

palliate

/ (ˈpælɪˌeɪt) /

verb (tr)

to lessen the severity of (pain, disease, etc) without curing or removing; alleviate; mitigate

to cause (an offence) to seem less serious by concealing evidence; extenuate

Derived forms of palliate

palliation, nounpalliator, noun

Word Origin for palliate

C16: from Late Latin palliāre to cover up, from Latin pallium a cloak, pallium

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

palliate

Origin of palliate

OTHER WORDS FROM palliate

Words nearby palliate

Words related to palliate

How to use palliate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for palliate

Derived forms of palliate

Word Origin for palliate