1
Reduce severity
Make an existing problem, condition, or harm less intense.
Example
Shade structures can mitigate the effects of extreme heat in public spaces.
mitigate
/ˈmɪtɪɡeɪt/ · MIT-ih-gaytverb
Make something harmful or severe less serious.
Use mitigate when an action reduces harm, risk, severity, or consequences without necessarily eliminating them.
What mitigate Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Lower risk
Decrease the likelihood or potential seriousness of a future problem.
Example
New ventilation systems may mitigate the risk of infection.
3
Limit consequences
Reduce damage after a threat cannot be completely prevented.
Example
Wetland restoration can mitigate flood damage during severe storms.
Use mitigate Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
Planting vegetation along the riverbank can mitigate erosion by slowing rainwater.
New ventilation systems may mitigate the risk of infection.
The revised policy includes safeguards intended to mitigate unintended economic effects.
Precision Matters
Mitigate overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
mitigate
vs.Often applies to risk, harm, severity, or consequences.
alleviate
Often applies to suffering, pressure, or an unpleasant condition.
mitigate
vs.Reduces a problem that may still occur or remain.
prevent
Stops the problem from occurring at all.
mitigate
vs.Makes the problem less severe.
remedy
Corrects or cures the underlying problem.
mitigate
vs.Decreases severity or harm.
exacerbate
Makes an existing problem worse.
Test mitigate in Context
The intervention reduces the severity of erosion but does not guarantee that erosion stops entirely.
1
Planting dense vegetation along the riverbank slows runoff and holds soil in place, helping to mitigate erosion during heavy rain.
As used in the text, “mitigate” most nearly means…