lessen

verb

less·en ˈle-sᵊn How to pronounce lessen (audio)

lessened; lessening ˈles-niŋ How to pronounce lessen (audio)

ˈle-sᵊn-iŋ

intransitive verb

: to shrink in size, number, or degree : decrease

The pain will lessen over time.

transitive verb

: to reduce in size, extent, or degree

lessen tensions between nations

archaic : to represent as of little value

: to lower in status or dignity : degrade

Example Sentences

Medication helps lessen the severity of the symptoms. we lessened our efforts as it became clear they weren't having an effect

Recent Examples on the Web The deal, the FTC alleges, would lessen competition in the market and violate antitrust laws.

Salvador Rodriguez, WSJ, 27 July 2022 But the move also would confuse customers, lessen demand for standard models and wreck their resale value just like the Lighting port did to older iPhones using the Dock Connector when it was introduced with the iPhone 5 in 2012.

Gordon Kelly, Forbes, 11 June 2022 Gravity acts on all objects equally and there is nothing athletes can do to lessen its effect.

Amy Pope, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Feb. 2022 Among them is how much to pull from the fund where the city is expected to have socked away about $82 million by the end of this year to lessen the effect on city services.

Alison Dirr, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2022 Or your doctor may suggest trying acupuncture or a TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) device, which uses electrical currents to help lessen pain.

Claire Gillespie, Health.com, 19 Jan. 2022 However, evidence suggests these same treatments are losing their effectiveness in the fight against the mutating virus and likely will not work as well to lessen the effect of the disease during the new wave.

Anchorage Daily News, 9 Jan. 2022 Seriously though, silk or satin pillowcases do help lessen frizz and breakage.

Sable Yong, Allure, 29 Dec. 2021 Taking away those top layers will also help lessen concerns like fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, and enlarged pores.

Emily Orofino, Good Housekeeping, 1 Oct. 2021 See More

lessen

verb

as in to reduce

to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent we lessened our efforts as it became clear they weren't having an effect

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

reduce
decrease
diminish
lower
minimize
deplete
ease
dent
abate
dwindle
downsize
slash
downscale
cut
compress
drop
knock down
shorten
curtail
de-escalate
constrict
shrink
pare
whittle
abridge
cut down
condense
retrench
trim
cut back
truncate
crop
modulate
abbreviate
prune
contract
modify
moderate
nick
deflate
clip
dock
qualify

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

increase
augment
expand
raise
amplify
boost
enlarge
escalate
prolong
extend
lengthen
swell
inflate
enhance
dilate
add (to)
intensify
heighten
complement
aggrandize
supplement
elongate
blow up
distend
protract
redouble

as in to diminish

to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually the pain should begin to lessen within minutes of taking the medication

Synonyms & Similar Words

diminish
decrease
subside
ease
shrink
decline
fall
vanish
moderate
ebb
lower
dwindle
weaken
taper
recede
wane
relent
abate
fall away
phase down
pall
taper off
alleviate
evaporate
remit
let up
constrict
die (away or down or out)
de-escalate
compress
rachet (down)
drop (off)
ratchet (down)
drain (away)
collapse
condense
slacken
contract
relax
give out
fade (away)
slow (down)
tail (off)
deflate
sink
flag
fritter (away)
peter (out)
melt (away)
cave (in)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

increase
intensify
grow
expand
build
rise
accumulate
escalate
enlarge
swell
mount
soar
appear
snowball
burgeon
emerge
wax
pick up
mushroom
balloon
lengthen
bourgeon
elongate
distend
blow up
show up

as in to degrade

to lower in character, dignity, or quality blatant hypocrisy that lessened him in the eyes of the voters

Synonyms & Similar Words

degrade
weaken
dilute
deteriorate
subvert
humiliate
damage
mar
demean
poison
debase
canker
cheapen
ruin
corrupt
debauch
destroy
impair
abase
shame
harm
vitiate
pollute
deprave
disgrace
taint
pervert
bastardize
hurt
warp
demoralize
contaminate
thin
prostitute
dirty
water down
humble
tarnish
profane
dishonor
wreck
spoil
flaw
stain
defile
begrime
befoul
depreciate
blemish
take down
deface
descend
downgrade

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

improve
elevate
better
enhance
ameliorate
uplift
honor
exalt
enrich
perfect
amend
ennoble
restore
refine
clarify
dignify
purify
cleanse
clean
respect
meliorate

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of lessen are abate, decrease, diminish, dwindle, and reduce. While all these words mean "to grow or make less," lessen suggests a decline in amount rather than in number.

has been unable to lessen her debt

The meanings of abate and lessen largely overlap; however, abate implies a reducing of something excessive or oppressive in force or amount.

the storm abated

The words decrease and lessen are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, decrease suggests a progressive decline in size, amount, numbers, or intensity.

slowly decreased the amount of pressure

Although the words diminish and lessen have much in common, diminish emphasizes a perceptible loss and implies its subtraction from a total.

his visual acuity has diminished

While the synonyms dwindle and lessen are close in meaning, dwindle implies progressive lessening and is applied to things growing visibly smaller.

their provisions dwindled slowly

The words reduce and lessen can be used in similar contexts, but reduce implies a bringing down or lowering.

you must reduce your caloric intake

单词	lessen
释义	lessen verb less·en ˈle-sᵊn lessened; lessening ˈles-niŋ ˈle-sᵊn-iŋ intransitive verb : to shrink in size, number, or degree : decrease The pain will lessen over time. transitive verb 1 : to reduce in size, extent, or degree lessen tensions between nations 2 a archaic : to represent as of little value b : to lower in status or dignity : degrade Synonyms abate de-escalate decrease dent deplete diminish downscale downsize drop dwindle ease knock down lower reduce See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Medication helps lessen the severity of the symptoms. we lessened our efforts as it became clear they weren't having an effect Recent Examples on the Web The deal, the FTC alleges, would lessen competition in the market and violate antitrust laws. Salvador Rodriguez, WSJ, 27 July 2022 But the move also would confuse customers, lessen demand for standard models and wreck their resale value just like the Lighting port did to older iPhones using the Dock Connector when it was introduced with the iPhone 5 in 2012. Gordon Kelly, Forbes, 11 June 2022 Gravity acts on all objects equally and there is nothing athletes can do to lessen its effect. Amy Pope, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Feb. 2022 Among them is how much to pull from the fund where the city is expected to have socked away about $82 million by the end of this year to lessen the effect on city services. Alison Dirr, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2022 Or your doctor may suggest trying acupuncture or a TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) device, which uses electrical currents to help lessen pain. Claire Gillespie, Health.com, 19 Jan. 2022 However, evidence suggests these same treatments are losing their effectiveness in the fight against the mutating virus and likely will not work as well to lessen the effect of the disease during the new wave. Anchorage Daily News, 9 Jan. 2022 Seriously though, silk or satin pillowcases do help lessen frizz and breakage. Sable Yong, Allure, 29 Dec. 2021 Taking away those top layers will also help lessen concerns like fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, and enlarged pores. Emily Orofino, Good Housekeeping, 1 Oct. 2021 See More Word History First Known Use 14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense Kids Definition lessen verb less·en ˈle-sᵊn lessened; lessening : to make or become fewer or smaller in amount lessen verb 1 as in to reduce to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent we lessened our efforts as it became clear they weren't having an effect Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance reduce decrease diminish lower minimize deplete ease dent abate dwindle downsize slash downscale cut compress drop knock down shorten curtail de-escalate constrict shrink pare whittle abridge cut down condense retrench trim cut back truncate crop modulate abbreviate prune contract modify moderate nick deflate clip dock qualify Antonyms & Near Antonyms increase augment expand raise amplify boost enlarge escalate prolong extend lengthen swell inflate enhance dilate add (to) intensify heighten complement aggrandize supplement elongate blow up distend protract redouble See More 2 as in to diminish to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually the pain should begin to lessen within minutes of taking the medication Synonyms & Similar Words diminish decrease subside ease shrink decline fall vanish moderate ebb lower dwindle weaken taper recede wane relent abate fall away phase down pall taper off alleviate evaporate remit let up constrict die (away or down or out) de-escalate compress rachet (down) drop (off) ratchet (down) drain (away) collapse condense slacken contract relax give out fade (away) slow (down) tail (off) deflate sink flag fritter (away) peter (out) melt (away) cave (in) Antonyms & Near Antonyms increase intensify grow expand build rise accumulate escalate enlarge swell mount soar appear snowball burgeon emerge wax pick up mushroom balloon lengthen bourgeon elongate distend blow up show up See More 3 as in to degrade to lower in character, dignity, or quality blatant hypocrisy that lessened him in the eyes of the voters Synonyms & Similar Words degrade weaken dilute deteriorate subvert humiliate damage mar demean poison debase canker cheapen ruin corrupt debauch destroy impair abase shame harm vitiate pollute deprave disgrace taint pervert bastardize hurt warp demoralize contaminate thin prostitute dirty water down humble tarnish profane dishonor wreck spoil flaw stain defile begrime befoul depreciate blemish take down deface descend downgrade Antonyms & Near Antonyms improve elevate better enhance ameliorate uplift honor exalt enrich perfect amend ennoble restore refine clarify dignify purify cleanse clean respect meliorate See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of lessen are abate, decrease, diminish, dwindle, and reduce. While all these words mean "to grow or make less," lessen suggests a decline in amount rather than in number. has been unable to lessen her debt The meanings of abate and lessen largely overlap; however, abate implies a reducing of something excessive or oppressive in force or amount. the storm abated The words decrease and lessen are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, decrease suggests a progressive decline in size, amount, numbers, or intensity. slowly decreased the amount of pressure Although the words diminish and lessen have much in common, diminish emphasizes a perceptible loss and implies its subtraction from a total. his visual acuity has diminished While the synonyms dwindle and lessen are close in meaning, dwindle implies progressive lessening and is applied to things growing visibly smaller. their provisions dwindled slowly The words reduce and lessen can be used in similar contexts, but reduce implies a bringing down or lowering. you must reduce your caloric intake
随便看	photointerpretation photointerpretations photointerpreter photointerpreters photoionisation photoionisations photoionization photoionizations photoionize photoionized photoionizes photoionizing photoist photojournalism photojournalisms photojournalist photojournalistic photojournalists photokineses photokinesis photokinetic photolabile photolability photolettering photolith

lessen

verb

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

verb

verb

Synonym Chooser