Do you know the definition of mitigate? This guide will provide you with all of the knowledge you need on the word mitigate, including its definition, etymology, usage, synonyms, example sentences, and more!
Your writing, at its best
Compose bold, clear, mistake-free, writing with Grammarly's AI-powered writing assistant
According to Collins English Dictionary and the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, the word mitigate is a verb that means to moderate or make less severe or harsh. Many different suffixes and alterations can be added to the end of the word mitigate to make different tenses and parts of speech including ing, ed, ry, tive, ble, tion, and more to form an adjective preposition, present participle, and more,. One can mitigate confusion, offense, wrath, provocation, and more. Mitigate is three syllables – mit-ig-ate, and the pronunciation of mitigate is ˈmɪtɪˌɡeɪt.
Words meaning mitigate are also used in many other languages. You may notice that some of these words and phrases look and sound similar to one another. These are called cognates which are often formed when two words in different languages have the same root or language of origin. This list of translations of mitigate is provided by Word Sense.
According to Etymonline, the word mitigate has been used since the early c15 Late Middle English to mean to relieve, make mild or tolerable, or reduce in amount or degree. This comes from the Latin mitigatus/Latin mītigātus, which is the mast participle of mitigare/Latin mītigāre. This comes from mīt and the root of agere and ag in Proto-Indo-European roots. This form of agere and the past participle of mītigāre have cognates in mitis/mītis, the Sanskrit mayas, Lithuanian mielas, Old Irish min, and Welsh mwydion.
How can the word mitigate be used in a sentence?
The word mitigate can be used in many different ways in the English language. Using words in a sentence is a great way to memorize their definitions and incorporate them into your vocabulary. You could also try making a quiz or flashcards to test your knowledge of different definitions. Try using this new word of the day in a sentence today! You never know, it might become a new favorite word. Below are several examples of mitigate being used in English language sentences to help get you started.
They tried to mitigate the dangers to the wildlife after the disaster, but the intensity of the harshness of the fires made it difficult. Their effective method of militation proved effective just in time and the immediate danger was prevented. This component of emergency management was important for climate change mitigation and risk management to reduce harmful incidents and the harmful effects of hazards.
The doctors attempted to mitigate the symptoms of mental illness through medication, which was an effective method as opposed to the popular-science methods he was trying before. He hated the stigma associated with the medication, but the reduction of its harmful effects was incredible.
The funeral director mitigated the woman’s disposition of grief through a hug. Her vulnerability shifted his state of mind.
The airline company mitigated bird strikes through careful testing.
What are synonyms and antonyms of the word mitigate?
There are many different equivalent words that a person can use in place of the word mitigate. These are called synonyms, which are words and phrases that have the same meaning as another word or phrase. One might choose to use a synonym because they want to avoid repeating themselves, or because they would like to work on expanding their vocabulary. This list of synonyms for the word mitigate is provided by Power Thesaurus.
There are also a great many words that mean the opposite of the word mitigate. These are called antonyms. English language antonyms are also very useful grammatical devices to know. This list of antonyms for the word mitigate is also provided by Power Thesaurus.
disapprove
augment
develop
heighten
add to the problem
be in rage
have a cow
be infuriated
condemn
blow one’s cool
be very angry
blame
check
add insult to injury
conceal
be in deep water
allow
discompose
blow your lid
accuse of
extend
consider guilty of
deepen
attack for
anathematize
criticize for
be enraged
blight
counteract
aggro
be furious
afflict
deplore for
blow one’s lid
blow one’s top
destroy
decry
exacerbate
enhance
worsen
butchers
depress
discipline
burn slightly
pour gasoline on the fire
deprecate
chastise
condemn for
intensify
assign liability
i dare you
bring someone to book
be pissed off
block
bar
abound
aggravate
come down on like a ton of bricks
pour gas on the fire
chasten
accuse
incite
be in a huff
add fuel to the fire
be visibly very angry
throw gasoline on the fire
irritate
denounce for
amplify
be angry
decrease
balk
berate
damage
magnify
arraign
add fuel to the flames
throw gas on the fire
agitate
come down on
blast
enlarge
apply pressure
aggrandize
blow your top
assign guilt to
annoy
blow a gasket
censure for
come to naught
become angry suddenly
cause stress
lose one’s temper
cane
maximize
delay
assign fault to
increase
add to
castigate
Overall, the word mitigate means to ameliorate or reduce harmful effects. This word is Latin in origin.
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.