palliate

American  

[pal-ee-eyt] / ˈpæl iˌeɪt /

verb (used with object)

palliated, palliating

1. to relieve or lessen without curing; mitigate; alleviate.

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

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palliate British  

/ ˈpælɪˌeɪt /

verb

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

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

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Other Word Forms

• palliation
  noun
• palliator
  noun
• unpalliated
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of palliate

First recorded in 1540–50, palliate is from the Late Latin word palliātus cloaked, covered. See pallium, -ate ¹

Explanation

When you palliate something, you try to make something less bad: “City leaders tried to palliate effects of the trash haulers' strike by distributing extra large garbage cans with tight-fitting lids.” Palliate is the word to use when you want to make something feel or seem better. Palliate doesn’t mean “cure” or “solve.” Instead, something that palliates relieves the symptoms or consequences of something, without addressing the underlying cause. Your dentist might give you pain-killing drugs to palliate the discomfort caused by an impacted molar, but that molar is still there, waiting to cause more trouble.

Example Sentences

Palliate them as you may," replied the widow, gravely, "they were faults; and as such, cannot be repaired by a greater wrong.

From Jack Sheppard A Romance by Ainsworth, William Harrison

Palliate, pal′i-āt, v.t. to cover, excuse, extenuate: to soften by pleading something in favour of: to mitigate.—n.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various

Shall not devotion atone for the absence of knowledge? and fervour Palliate, cover, the fault of a superstitious observance?

From Amours De Voyage by Clough, Arthur Hugh

Come, come, these are but wyles to Palliate things, Can you believe me stupid, or an Ass?

From The Fatal Jealousie (1673) by Thorp, Willard

Palliate, then, the policeman’s weak points, and as none but the brave deserve the fair, let the brave have his desert.

From Original Penny Readings A Series of Short Sketches by Fenn, George Manville